Korrasami shorts
by KidWolff
Summary: Collection of short stories about Korra and Asami together, some involving their family and friends. Some will relate to my book titled "The Waterbender's Love and the Mechanic's Passion" but you don't have to read it to understand most chapters. I upload on a regular basis as long as ideas are available.
1. Chapter 1 Brave Soldier Girl

**War AU**

 **Asami is growing depressed the longer Korra is gone at war. Their friends help cheer her up until the time comes.**

* * *

Future Industry's CEO glanced at the picture frame on the table. She felt empty, even as she laid on the couch drinking away her problems. Eyeing the portrait of her loved one wasn't helping. Her wife had been called to duty one year ago. Normally she received a letter from the native girl once a week at least, but she had failed to get one yet. In fact, it'd been almost three weeks since any contact with her wife. And it scared Asami to death.

Asami's heart raced when a knock came on the front door. She panicked inside. What if it was a soldier coming to finally tell her the bad news? This fear bubbled up every time she answered the door. She let out a shaky breath when she heard Bolin holler from outside. "Asami?! Are you home? It's me and Opal. We came to check on you…"

Asami got up from the couch and opened the door. Bolin looked grateful as the door was finally opened. The movie star swooped her up in his arms. Opal smiled gently and laid a hand on his shoulder to let her go. Asami nodded her thanks when Bolin finally let her out of his grip. "How are you feeling? Any news?"

Asami's face fell again. "No. Nothing in three weeks, Bolin."

Bolin's smile faded. "I'm sure she's fine, Asami." That's when he smelled the scent of alcohol. "Asami let us take you out for dinner. I think it would do you good to get some fresh air."

Asami sighed and wandered back to the couch. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, that's obvious from all of the sake bottles lying around." Bolin retorted. Opal smacked him on the arm.

Opal frowned as she spoke up for the first time. "Asami, I know you're worried and scared, and you have every right to be, but please let us help you. That's what friends are for, right?"

Asami sat silent as she let the thought sink in. She sighed. "Fine, what do you want to do?"

Bolin smiled wide. Opal walked in front of him before he got too excited. "Um, let's go find you some fresh clothes to wear while Bolin figures out the details."

Asami crashed into her bed when she finally got home later that night. Hanging out with Bolin could be exhausting. At least the exhaustion allowed her to get a few hours of sleep.

* * *

She woke up the next morning by a knock on the front door again. Panic ran through her like a herd of wild elephants. She hastily put on her robe and walked to the door. She shakily grabbed the handle and opened the door. She almost sighed in relief when she saw it was just the mailman. The man tipped his hat to her. "Morning, Miss Sato." Asami nodded her appreciation as the man handed over a stack of bills.

She sat on the couch and threw the mail on the table. It's not like any of it was from her wife. However, something got her attention as she crashed on the couch. She lifted her arm from her eyes as she noticed a dull brown envelope. Her heart pounded in hope that it was from her. She jumped from the couch and sorted through the mail. Bill. Bill. Bill… United Forces.

Asami went wide-eyed. Fear suddenly took her over. She didn't know if this was a good sign or a bad sign. She carefully undid the tape holding it shut and took out a small tattered piece of paper.

 _Leaves from the vine,_

 _Falling so slow._

 _Like fragile tiny shells,_

 _Drifting in the foam._

 _Little soldier boy,_

 _Come marching home._

 _Brave soldier boy,_

 _Comes marching home._

Asami's breath caught in her throat. She knew those words; lyrics to an old wives tale. She was more confused now than ever. It sounded like her soldier would be coming home. The question remained: would she be alive or dead?

That was the only letter the CEO received in the timespan of 3 months. She had no idea what was going to happen. Either her wife would come home or not, it was as simple as that! Why was it taking so long?

* * *

A knock came at the door and Asami didn't bother to answer it. She was tired of living in fear of never seeing her wife again. So she just laid on the couch, unmoving.

Jinora and Opal sighed from outside the door. They had feared that Asami was digging deeper and deeper into her depression. Jinora tried one more time. "Asami, it's us. If you don't open up, we're gonna come in anyway." Silence.

Jinora carefully pried open the door and saw Asami staring into space on the couch. Opal went over to her and carefully shook her shoulders. "Asami, come on, snap out of it. You do remember the gala is tonight?"

Asami finally glanced over to the girl. "What gala?"

Opal sighed, partly in frustration. "How can you forget your own gala? Either way, let's get you ready."

Shoot, she had completely forgotten about the gala. Lately she hadn't been caring as much about her work and often put things off. She sighed as Opal dragged her upstairs to her room. She at least had to make an appearance to her own gala, right?

* * *

Asami sighed in content as she finally stepped down from the mic. Now that she had made her appearance, she could go home and forget all about tonight. It was hard keeping her composure in front of the crowd for some reason, which is weird because she's usually so confident with anything about her company.

As she neared the final steps something caught her eye, something she almost wished she hadn't. All she saw was the camouflage pattern of a soldier's uniform and that nearly dropped her to the floor in terror. She had feared the worse of course. But from her kneeling position, she saw a white dog, which looked strangely familiar besides a few injuries. 'No, there's no way! Naga?!'

Asami frantically looked up, still expecting a different soldier just returning their dog from combat. She was not ready for what she saw. She saw the knee braces on each leg, followed by a cane in one hand to keep the soldier steady. But when she saw the smiling face of her wife, she knew her time had finally come. Even in heels, the CEO ran over to her.

"KORRA!"

Instead of ambushing the girl, she pulled Korra in tight to her, trying to be careful of her injuries. She hugged her tight, refusing to let her go, crying her name in her shoulders. Korra chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. "I'm home, 'Sami."

"For good?" Asami cried.

"For good, I promise. I'll never leave you again."

* * *

Asami didn't even care about the gala anymore. After Korra was able to shortly catch up with their friends, she dragged her back to their apartment. Luckily there was an elevator, so it was easy for Korra to get up their penthouse suite.

As soon as Asami shut the door, Korra dropped her cane and hugged her wife tight. Asami's heart raced and she returned the hug with just as much fervor, both of them crying. Naga barked happily as they all were finally reunited. Asami helped Korra to the bed and Naga came up to her, nudging her with her wet nose. Asami smiled and hugged Naga. She had greatly missed her canine companion too. She noticed bandages covering the dog's legs. She looked to Korra, but saw the tired look on her face and decided to save the talk for tomorrow.

Asami sat at the end of the bed and carefully removed the boots from Korra's feet. The soldier winced and sighed in relief at the same time. Asami moved away to remove her dress attire and threw on a random shirt, rushing to return to Korra's side. Just as she was about to climb into bed, a thought crossed her mind. She looked to Naga. The white German Shepherd was considered huge for her breed and was normally forced to sleep on the floor. However, Asami's engineering mind came up with a solution in hope to brighten up the evening. After Korra removed her army shirt, leaving her in a tank top, Asami motioned to her to slide over a bit. Then Asami leaned over her to the side of the bed. "Naga, here girl."

Naga happily jumped into the bed and snuggled up to her master. Korra smiled brightly and looked to her wife. As long as Korra was smiling, so was Asami. Korra reached up to cup her wife's cheek, making her blush. They hadn't seen each other in over a year, let alone be able to touch each other. It almost brought Asami to tears.

Their mouths crashed into one another's for the first time since her return. Korra's hands wandered into Asami's gorgeous hair, while Asami remained gentle and carefully placed her hands on Korra's cheek.

They slowly pulled apart, peppering kisses on each other's cheeks and neck. Asami finally put some space between them to look her in the eye. There she saw the exhaustion in Korra's eyes. She was tired, but she was finally home. Tears built up in Asami's eyes again and she pressed her forehead to Korra's.

"I'm so sorry I was gone for so long." Korra spoke. She hadn't said much all evening actually.

Asami tearfully smiled and brushed her wife's hair out of her face. "We'll talk about it tomorrow sweetie. You need rest. Let's get some sleep for now."

Korra nodded tiredly. Asami pulled her into her chest and Naga crawled closer to rest her head in her lap. Tears bit the edges of Korra's eyes. Her loving wife and faithful companion were both at her side, and she knew that they'd never abandon her.

For once in a long time, both of them got a whole night's rest.

* * *

Sun hovered in through the curtains. Asami moved to get up and close them, but the weight on her chest stopped her and she was happily reminded of the events from yesterday. She finally took time to examine Korra's body closer up, seeing as the girl was still asleep. She hadn't slept in a real bed in over a year, so Asami was happy to let her sleep in. Asami held her hand, noticing how callous they had gotten. She inspected her arms, noticing the small cuts and scars along her muscled arms, leading to under her shirt. She looked down to the braces on her knees, wondering what had happened on the battlefield. Whatever it was, it had kept her away from home longer than she was supposed to be away.

Korra squinted her eyes tight before opening them to see Asami watching over her. She blushed. "Morning 'Sami."

Asami was brought out of her reverie once she heard Korra speak those words. It had been so long since they woke up to each other. She urged the tears away, leaning down to hug the woman. "Good morning Korra."

Korra slowly sat up, cracking a few bones in the process. Asami winced at the sounds. "It's been so long since I slept in a real bed. My body's not used to it." Korra chuckled.

"A shower might help. You probably wanna take a nice warm shower anyway." Asami replied.

Korra smiled and nodded. She nudged Naga to get off of the bed, swinging her legs over the side. Asami was already up and collecting some of her old clothes for her to change into afterwards. She sat them down beside her, but then saw that Korra wasn't moving, just looking down at her legs. Asami kneeled in front of her. "Korra, sweetie, do you need help?" She asked cautiously.

Korra grimaced and nodded sadly. However, Asami just patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay to ask for help, sweetie. I need to freshen up after the gala from last night anyway."

Asami found clothes for herself to wear and then set both piles on the bathroom counter. She came back to her wife, cautiously grabbing her hands. Korra looked up expectantly and let the CEO help her out of her clothes and into the shower.

Korra stood in awe of her wife's body. She couldn't believe that she hadn't seen the woman in over a year. Her growing depression fought against lust as she took in the beautiful view.

However, even though Asami appreciated Korra's body, she wasn't overcome with lust, rather more concern. Bruises littered Korra's legs and back. "Korra…"

The girl looked up at the mention of her name. She frowned when she saw worry sketched across Asami's face. She gripped her hand harder to keep her balance but more so to get her attention.

Asami sadly looked up at her, just to see her bright smile again. She bit back the questions burning to come out. She grabbed the soap and washcloth and began cleaning Korra's body. Korra's legs began to hurt and so she wrapped her arms around her wife's shoulders to keep herself standing. Asami smiled at her as she finished. She pulled the shower curtain back and helped Korra sit on the toilet cover. "You need to rest your legs, hun. I'll be really quick." Asami said. Korra pouted but understood. She grabbed a towel and dried herself off while Asami cleaned up. Korra eyed Asami's shadow as her curiosity peaked. She nudged the curtain a bit to get another look at her wife's body.

Asami saw Korra peek through the curtain and a smirk overcame her features. She kept her back turned to her and bent over to clean her legs.

Korra went wide-eyed and gasped. A deep blush flooded her cheeks and she urgently pulled away from the view. Asami giggled and quickly finished up. She stepped out to see Korra bundled up in a large towel, blushing and trying to cover herself up for some reason.

Asami kneeled in front of her, wrapping her arms around her lovingly. "You know I love you Korra."

The girl gulped and nervously looked to her wife. "I love you too Asami. I missed you so much."

Asami couldn't stop herself once she heard those words. She urgently placed her lips on Korra's. Korra moaned and deepened the kiss.

Asami pulled away before it got too intense. "Let's get dressed so I can make you breakfast."

Korra smiled as the smell of bacon wafted through the apartment. Asami happily laid down two plates of eggs and bacon on the living room table and cuddled up to Korra on the couch. Korra smiled wide and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks Asami!"

Asami laughed as Korra dug in. Then a thought hit her. Her soldier probably hadn't had a decent meal since she left for war. She ran her hands through her hair and sat up beside her. Korra paused and looked over, frowning when she saw her wife's sullen expression. Asami ate a few bites before slipping the rest of it onto Korra's plate. Korra rose a brow and silently refused to eat Asami's part. The CEO sighed at Korra's selflessness. The girl turned away from the plate, leaving Asami's part where it was, and laid down on the couch. Asami climbed up to lay down beside her, carefully wrapping her arms around her. Neither knew how to begin the eminent talk.

"Why were you gone for so long? Why did I stop getting your letters?" Asami whispered.

Korra grimaced, thinking about where to begin. "We got ambushed…" Asami looked up at Korra scared. Korra sighed painfully as she recalled the event. "We were passing through a village, handing out food and supplies… A group of men stood to the side, refusing our help. We knew they were armed, they always are. But usually they just watch and let us help out the people who need it. We didn't see the other men walking out of their houses. Next thing I knew was that Tahno had been shot…" Tears began dripping from Korra's eyes.

Asami quickly brought her closer into her embrace. "You don't have to tell me all at once, dear. I can't imagine how hard it's been for you."

"No, I've been gone too long to not give you answers." Korra rubbed her eyes hard, trying to stop the tears. "As soon as that shot went off, the place turned into a battlefield… I helped the civilians back into their homes, while the rest took cover around buildings and fired back. I stood guard by the doors in case someone got passed my men. Suddenly all the firing stopped… I heard footsteps approaching the door." Korra looked like she was reliving the moment now. "They busted down the door and hit me hard in the gut before I had a chance to shoot. They dragged me into the middle of town…"

Asami rubbed Korra's head. "Stop, sweetie. You don't have to tell me everything right now. I can tell this is hard on you."

"No!" Asami jumped at Korra's outburst. "You need to know!" She cried. Asami gulped and decided to let her continue on. "Luckily I hid Naga with one of the kind families there. As they dragged me across the dirt road, I saw all of my platoon scattered around, dead. I knew I was as good as dead, at least I thought so. They hit me a couple times before one guy stepped up, I'm guessing it was their leader. He forced me up by my hair and then said that I was to be a message to the United Forces. Then his men continued beating me until a passed out… When I woke up again, I was in one of the homes nearby. A woman was leaning over me, cleaning up my wounds. I might've been imaging it, but it looked like she was controlling water to heal me. Naga was beside the bed, wagging her tail stupidly."

Asami scowled a bit. Korra had to have imagined that part, right? Controlling water? It sounded absurd.

"The people took care of me until reinforcements came two weeks later. I don't know why it took so long, but eventually I made it to safety. I couldn't tell you anything about it, so at the first chance I got I had a friend send you that one letter…"

"Soldier boy comes marching home…" Asami whispered.

"Yeah. I wanted you to know I was safe and that I would be returning soon. But I had to undergo intense therapy first before I could come home."

"Why couldn't you have your therapy here at home?" Asami asked curiously.

Korra let out a sad chuckle and hung her head. "I was in a wheelchair. I couldn't move."

Asami gasped and covered her mouth in fear. She glanced down to the braces on her knees, surrounded by bruises. "So the braces?"

Korra looked down as well. "Yeah, they're to help me walk for now."

Suddenly Asami took ahold of Korra's face. "Are you okay?! Does it hurt?"

Korra chuckled again. "I can't say that I am okay, but now that I have you I know everything will get better."

Asami felt the underlying message in her voice and kissed her on the forehead. "What can I do to help, hun?"

"Maybe install a seat in the shower." Korra joked.

Asami smiled good-naturedly. "Of course, sweetie. I'll make any adjustments you need."

"Thanks. Can we take a nap now? I'm kinda tired." Korra responded.

Asami chuckled. "Of course, we can do anything you want." Asami held Korra tight and the couple fell fast asleep now that they were reunited.

* * *

The days following Korra's return, Asami made several adjustments around the apartment, including a cushioned seat for the shower, an electric chair for the stairs, and rails for the hallways. A physical trainer was hired to help Korra in their own home, as well as a maid for when Asami was away with work. Korra's physical state was healing, but the same couldn't be said for her mental state.

Asami fell asleep happily with Korra in her arms. Korra was already asleep, snoring on top of Asami's chest. They thought that Korra had left the war behind, but it followed her home.

Korra felt hot and sweaty, like she had been laying in the sun for days. She opened her eyes to just be met with the scorching sun and blue sky. She scowled. It felt like she was back in… _Boom!_ Korra jumped up. She was back in the war, just as she thought. A bomb went off not too far away from her. She jumped up to the best of her abilities, but her legs were hurting. None of her teammates were in sight. She limped away, trying to find cover. Suddenly she was pulled by her short hair and thrown onto the ground. Hooded figures started kicking and hitting her, until a tall man stepped up. "Don't kill her. She is to be a message to the United Forces." They then continued beating her until she passed out.

Korra shot up, falling out of bed. Pain tinged in her legs and she scooted to a corner. Asami woke up when she pulled from her grasp and sleepily looked around for her. "Korra?" She asked when she saw her huddled in the corner. She was quickly brought out of her sleepy state when she saw Korra's condition. "Korra!" Asami slid from the bed and approached her wife. When Korra didn't respond, Asami touched her leg.

Korra finally looked up when she felt something soft touch her leg. Asami? "Asami, what're you doing here? You shouldn't be here!" Korra began panicking. Asami realized what she was thinking and abruptly hugged her.

"Korra! You're not in the war anymore! You're home."

Korra's frantic breathing slowed to small gasps. "What?" That's when her vision cleared and she saw their bedroom. She placed a hand to her head to calm herself. Asami brought her head to her chest in a calming manner. "It's okay. You're home. You're safe."

After finally calming down, Korra tried to get up to go back to bed, but pain shot up her legs. She groaned in pain and sat back down on the ground. "What's wrong?" Asami asked.

"Ngh, my legs are killing me right now."

"It must've been when you fell. Here, I'll help you up." Asami threw Korra's arm over her shoulder and helped her back into bed. Korra gasped for air when she finally landed on the mattress. Asami climbed up with her and sat in between her legs. "W-What're you doing?"

"Calm down. I'm gonna try something. Don't worry." Asami reassured. She gently placed her soft hands on Korra's knees and carefully rubbed them. Korra didn't have a chance to say no when it suddenly felt relieving. Asami saw Korra's body physically relax into the bed. She was careful not to be too forceful with the massage.

After a few minutes, she heard a snore from above. She giggled when she saw Korra passed out at last. She carefully crawled over her and settled beside her before falling back asleep herself.

* * *

Korra's health got better with more time. She was beginning to be able to walk longer and her nightmares were far and few in-between nowadays. Asami was so in-tuned to Korra, just like she was before the war happened, that she could stop Korra from jumping from bed before she was even awake.

"Go long, Naga!" Korra yelled, throwing a blue frisbee. Asami smiled and clutched to Korra's hand tighter. Korra looked up to the taller woman with that bright smile of hers, making Asami's heart skip a beat. She leaned down to give her a peck on the cheek, making Korra blush a tiny bit. Naga returned with the sopping wet toy for Korra to throw it again. Korra laughed and did as she wished. The couple continued their walk through the park while still playing fetch with the German Shepherd. Korra was so happy to be able to go on walks again, seeing as the park was one of her favorite places in the city. And Asami couldn't be happier to fulfill her wishes to take them to the park. Naga seemed to appreciate getting out of the apartment as well.

Asami eyed the dog tags around Korra's neck. She looked away to hide her scowl. She didn't like those dog tags. It made her feel like Korra belonged to someone else, had another obligation. Naga wore hers too. Asami hated it. She knew Korra would never leave her, especially not to go to war since her injury marked her off of the recruitment list permanently. But she couldn't help these thoughts still…

Korra must've seen her face and gently held her cheek to make her look at her. Asami shook her head in apology. Korra smiled and brought her closer to kiss her passionately. Asami pulled away and looked down in embarrassment. But that's when she saw the wedding rings on both of their hands. She smiled, remembering their wedding day, which was just months before Korra was deployed. She chuckled and returned to kiss Korra again. There was one thing she was sure of, Korra would never leave her.


	2. Chapter 2 Reunion Behind Doors

**What really happened when Korra returned to Republic City...**

* * *

"Asami wants to see you."

Korra froze. She was halfway through the door when Tenzin spoke up. "Shouldn't I shower and clean up first?"

Tenzin sighed. "She really wants to see you first."

Korra gulped and nodded. She had just returned from her six-month absence and seeing Toph made her extremely muddy. She didn't understand why Asami wanted to see her right away, but it probably meant bad news.

Korra stopped outside of her old bedroom, sensing that someone was waiting inside. Looked like Asami really was determined to see her. The door creaked open and just through that small gap, Korra could feel great tension. She gulped again and opened the door all of the way, keeping her back to the other woman. She rested her hands on the door, refusing to meet eyes with her.

Asami stood tensely and had her arms crossed. She heard Korra approaching and wasn't surprised when Korra averted her sight.

Korra stood up straight, still not facing her. "Look at me." Korra gulped and turned around. Shivers ran up Asami's back when she saw the condition Korra was in. But what did she honestly expect from Korra with being missing for 6 months? Asami wanted to slap her, even though she knew she would not follow through with that idea.

"Where have you been?" Asami was seething. Korra still hadn't looked at her, but the CEO could still see the fading black eye. She was covered in dirt and her clothes were tattered up. Worry grew in the pit of her stomach, but she was still enraged. What did Korra expect when she left for her own?

Asami approached her and Korra flinched. Asami saw and stopped short of her. Korra was still looking away. "Korra?"

The Avatar glanced up when Asami's anger sounded like it was subsiding. They finally met eyes for the first time in three years. All of a sudden, Korra rushed to wrap her arms around her. The last remaining shreds of Asami's anger dissipated in an instant and she pulled the girl in closer. What was Asami thinking? There's no way she could be angry with Korra, not after everything she'd been through. Her fingers ran through her short hair, luring her to rest on her shoulder. They stood in the middle of Korra's room for some time just hugging. Asami didn't care how dirty Korra was. Eventually she pulled away from the Avatar and leaned in front of her, placing her palms on Korra's cheeks. "Are you okay, hun?"

Korra nodded and leaned into her touch. Asami sighed and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance to clean up, but I really wanted to see what you looked like after being on your own for six months."

"I love you Asami." Korra blurted out, blushing in the aftermath. Asami chuckled, pulling the girl closer to lay her lips on hers. It was slow, as if Asami wanted to start things fresh. She hesitantly pulled away from her again. "I love you too, Korra. Now go on, I'll leave you be for a while so you can clean up. We're meeting up with Mako in town later."

Korra smiled for the first time since stepping in after the kiss. Just before Asami disappeared into the hallway, Korra grabbed her hand and placed a loving kiss on her cheek, making the CEO blush. Her and Asami were gonna work things out. She had hope.


	3. Chapter 3 Artist-Musician AU

Korra sighed as she drudged into the art studio. This early morning drawing class was starting to take its toll on her. 8am was too early in her opinion. She plopped into the couch at the end of the room and waited for the rest of her classmates to show up. She pulled her hoodie over her face and fell back asleep.

"Korra?!"

The girl jumped up and fell out of her seat. She rubbed her head in a nervous habit as her classmates chuckled at her. The professor sighed and continued down the attendance sheet. After finished calling roll, everyone got out their drawing pads and other supplies for the day, even though the professor hadn't told them the plan for today. Korra pulled a horse-chair out and waited for further instructions.

"Okay class, today we will be drawing a human model." The professor announced.

Korra froze. A human model?! She had never drawn another person! She was only a first-year student. 'Please don't let it be a naked person.' Korra begged in her mind.

She nervously rubbed her palms together as she saw a shadow move from the corner of her eye. 'Don't look up yet and don't look them in the face.'

She urged herself to busy herself with getting her pencils ready. She finally looked up when the professor instructed the model to pose a certain way. She was immediately captivated by the woman's beauty. Luscious black hair, jade green eyes, black lacy bra and underwear. Korra averted her eyes when she realized she was beginning to wander. But at least she wasn't fully naked.

Korra caught the last bit of the instructions. "And your first 60-second sketch starts now!"

60 seconds to draw her?! How would she possibly be able to draw her beauty in sixty seconds?! No matter, Korra quickly jumped to work. About ten seconds later when she looked back up to see the length of the woman's arm, she instantly caught the eyes of the woman. Korra froze, and the pair had a stare-off for the next minute. Korra was knocked out of her trance when the professor stepped up to show the model the next pose to do. This continued for ten more minutes and several times Korra stumbled with her focus.

After that they finally got to the hour-long drawing. 'How is she going to be able to stand still for a whole hour?' Korra pondered. But that wasn't Korra's job. Her job was to draw her. And she was going to do her damned best.

Korra was able to avoid the model's gaze for the first ten minutes. She could tell the woman was doing this on purpose when she felt her face start heating up. Korra decided to take a chance and looked up at her face since she had to draw her face anyway. Once again she was entranced by her beauty.

Korra gulped when she was able to tear herself away after a minute. She cautiously looked down to her paper and back up as she sketched out her facial features. The whole time the model dangerously eyed her.

Korra sighed almost happily when she was finally done with her face. She looked up at the clock to see that she had 30 minutes left. She just spent 20 minutes on her face! Instead of worrying, Korra just chuckled to herself and continued drawing. She couldn't help to admire the woman's figure as she drew it on her paper. The woman was incredibly beautiful and she knew this drawing would be nothing in comparison.

The professor called time and everyone sighed in relief, including the model. Korra rushed to collect her belongings and run out from embarrassment. Before she could lift her backpack off of the floor, a hand landed on her shoulder. Korra gulped loudly and turned even redder. It was the woman.

"Hey, don't run off yet, please? I want to look at your drawing." She said. Korra couldn't deny the model her right to see her drawing and drudged back to the couch to wait. The model thanked her happily and ran into the other room to put her clothes back on. Then she walked up to the professor and signed the model timesheet. 'Right, she gets paid for this shindig.'

Then the woman finally walked back to Korra, who surprisingly hadn't fallen back asleep because she was watching her the whole time. The woman snapped her finger in her face and knocked her out of her trance again. Korra rubbed her neck in embarrassment once again while the woman giggled.

"Thanks for the admiration. Your name is Korra, right?" She asked.

Korra sunk even lower. "Uhh, you're welcome? And yeah I'm Korra."

The woman laughed. "My name's Asami. So can I see your drawing?"

"Oh, yeah! Hold up." Korra withdrew her sketchpad again and pulled up the day's drawings.

Asami was in awe as she flipped through the pages. Even for the 60-second sketches, Korra was skilled in gathering details quickly. She gasped when she got to the hour-long drawing. It looked exactly like her! She looked to Korra, who was blushing even deeper than before and was hanging her head.

"I know, it's awful. I didn't want you to see it." Korra admitted.

Asami went wide-eyed and looked between Korra and the drawing. "What're you talking about? This is absolutely amazing! I wish I could draw half as good as you do!"

Korra anxiously looked up at her. "You really mean that?"

"Of course I do. I never say things I don't mean." Asami replied.

Korra nervously looked away again. "Thanks. That means a lot."

Asami noticed the atmosphere was changing and scowled. "Hey, are you okay Korra?"

Korra suddenly jumped up and grabbed her sketchpad back from Asami. "I-I'm fine. I just have to get going."

Asami quickly grabbed her hand to stop her from running away. She wracked her mind for something to say to calm her down. "Do you want to grab coffee with me?"

Korra breathed heavily and turned back to Asami. For once Asami actually looked embarrassed too. Korra didn't trust her mouth so she just nodded her head yes. Asami smiled and began dragging her outside to walk to the coffee shop down the block.

Korra nervously fiddled with her cup while she sat across from the woman. Asami sighed after she took a drink. "If you're uncomfortable with this, you don't have to stay. I just…I kinda want to get to know you."

Korra rose a brow as she looked up. "I'm just intimidated by your beauty."

"But you're beautiful too."

Korra looked away at the compliment. She went wide-eyed when she felt a hand guiding her to look back. "I can tell you don't think highly of yourself, but remember I don't say things I don't mean. You really are beautiful."

Korra managed to free herself from Asami's grasp and took a swig of her coffee. "So, uh, Asami, are you studying here at the college?"

Asami smiled at the victory of getting Korra to open up. "Yeah, I'm a second-year music major. I play violin."

A smile began to sneak onto Korra's face. "Really? So you're into the arts stuff too?"

Asami chuckled. "Yeah I'm into artsy kind of stuff, but mainly music. I can't draw very well, but you're amazing at it."

Korra blushed and scratched her neck. "Thanks. I'd love to hear you play some time."

Asami beamed happily. "I'd love that! But only if I get to see more of your work."

Korra smiled. "Deal."

Several years later once both completed college, one could find the pair in their shared apartment. Asami would be playing the violin and sometimes singing, while Korra enjoyed the music her girlfriend made while she worked on an art project. They were a support for each other.


	4. Chapter 4 Shy in Bed

**Korra is nervous about living with Asami.**

* * *

Korra hesitantly shuffled by the door. "You know, maybe I should just sleep in the spare room."

Asami paused before she sat down on the bed. "Korra, c'mon we talked this through. I thought we were ready for this."

Korra gulped and looked down at her feet. Asami was right. They'd spent days preparing for this night. Asami was careful to make sure they weren't moving too fast. Korra had already moved in anyway. But tonight would be the first night sleeping with Asami in her bed.

Korra took a few deep breaths and sat down next to Asami. Asami smiled and gently caressed her hand. "It's okay. Nothing's gonna happen."

Korra was so nervous about sleeping in the same bed. Not because she was afraid it might lead to other things, because they hadn't even made it that far. Korra was extremely nervous about that. But it was because Asami was just so perfect and beautiful that she didn't know if she really deserved this. However, Asami really wanted to make this next step. She wasn't being pushy about it, though. If Korra really wanted she could sleep in the other room, but then they'd still have to face this at some point.

Korra sighed and nodded towards Asami. The CEO happily pulled her into bed and together they settled down next to each other. They stared into each other's eyes for a minute. Korra then averted her eyes. Asami gently held her hand to calm her down. Korra looked up anxiously. Asami pressed a light kiss to her lips. "You're doing fine, hun. Relax."

But Korra was red in the face all over again. She quickly rolled over and faced away from her girlfriend. "Night 'Sami!"

Asami giggled and rolled over too. She found it amusing that Korra was embarrassed to kiss in bed when she was happy to kiss her any other time. She glanced over and could see Korra was still red all the way to her shoulders. She shook her head. Korra would warm up to this faster than she thought. "Night Korra."

Korra woke up to something soft and warm in her hand. She tried to ignore it and go back to sleep but it was so welcoming to her. She peeked her eyes open and almost gasped. Asami slept contently beside her, holding her hand. Her luscious black hair swirled around her haphazardly. Her face was without make up. A small smile was on her face as she slept beside her. She was the epitome of beauty. Korra blinked realizing that she was closer to Asami than from when they fell asleep. In fact they were facing each other at this point.

Korra smiled tiredly and gripped her hand tighter. She realized something very important that day and it wouldn't have happened without Asami.

She laid back down and happily watched her girlfriend sleep. After a few minutes, Asami stirred and opened her eyes. She smiled wide when she saw that Korra was still in bed next to her. "Good morning, Korra. So how'd you sleep?"

Korra smiled back at her. "Morning 'Sami. That was actually the best night of sleep I've gotten in a long time. And it made me appreciate what I have now."

Asami slowly sat up on her elbows. "What do you mean?"

"I want you to know this. I now have something to look forward to when I wake up every day."

Asami smiled and inched closer to her. The space between was getting increasingly smaller. "And what might that be?"

"You." Korra said. Asami laid a hand on her cheek and they finally eliminated the space between them with a kiss.

Asami understood what Korra was talking about. She knew how hard the past few years had been for her while she healed. But she was determined to give Korra every reason in the world to continue on living for the both of them.


	5. Ch 5 Spread Thin: 'Omegaverse' AU Part 1

**Edit: Not your typical omegaverse story because I feel weird writing some of those things...**

* * *

Asami slowly pulled herself out of sleep and blinked her eyes open. She smiled when she was greeted by the sight of her mate. The alpha's hair was disheveled and the woman had drool continuously slipping down her chin. Asami sighed and quietly snuck out of bed and into the bathroom. She lovingly glanced once more at her mate before closing the door to get ready for the day.

When she reappeared, Korra was awake but still lying in bed, causing Asami to sigh loudly. "Korra, sweetie you need to get up. The pack can't start its day without you."

"Tch. Yes, they can. They've done it plenty of times."

Asami walked over and tilted her chin up. "You're the alpha, you're supposed to lead them."

"But Tenzin is an alpha too."

Asami leaned in closer and connected their lips. "Please?"

Korra's face heated up and she nervously looked away. "Okay, I'll get up. I'd just much rather stay in bed all day with you."

Asami giggled. "Well even if you stayed in bed that wouldn't happen. I have to go to work today. There are several repairs scheduled for today."

Korra scoffed. "You know you don't have to work. The pack provides plenty for all of us."

Asami smiled. "I know, hun. But isn't it nice to have extra? Besides, it gives me something to do when you're busy with the pack." Korra gave her a pleading look, almost as if she was asking her to stay. "We've already discussed this Korra. Besides I wear that special perfume so even if there's a stray they won't notice me. But we both know that doesn't happen. The nearest pack is hundreds of thousands of miles away. So yes, I am going to work today."

Korra sighed in defeat. "Fine, just be safe. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."

Asami chuckled. "You'd probably lose your mind."

Korra smiled slightly. "Yeah, you're right."

"Alright hun, I'll be back in a few hours." Asami then walked out of the room. Korra began to lay back down in bed. "And get your butt out of bed!" Korra quickly jumped up and proceeded to find her clothes.

Asami chuckled as she saw Korra rushing about from their bedroom window. Sometimes Korra needed a push, even if she was an alpha. And Korra only really listened to Asami, even though she was an omega. She began walking away from their cabin and hopped into her truck. She passed the other cabins close by that held other members of their pack.

Pema was on the front porch, feeding a young Rohan. She saw her pass by and waved at her, before wincing. Asami waved back and watched as Pema ran back into the house scolding the kids for trying to make breakfast on their own. Asami shook her head good-naturedly and continued driving. She didn't know how the mother was able to take care of so many kids and she didn't envy her. Besides, Korra seemed happy with how things were now.

Pema was the only other omega in the pack at the moment. Omegas were basically humans born into a pack. They were rare, but still looked down on in some packs. What use was there to being human? Asami didn't really mind it too much. Because she was an omega she studied cars a lot as a child and was now a mechanic at the repair shop in town. She really loved her job too.

"Asami! It's good to have you back!" One of the other mechanics hollered happily. "You feeling better?"

Asami smiled nervously. "Yeah! I'm good now! So how many repairs are lined up for today?" She quickly changed the subject to avoid thinking about Korra was absolutely savage in bed the previous day, causing her to call off.

* * *

Asami sighed tiredly after a long day of repairs. Her clothes were once again stained with grease and she smelled of oil. She finally climbed into her truck. She groaned when she passed the grocery store and remembered that they needed a few things for the cabin. She dejectedly turned around and began making her way to the parking lot.

Once she had the supplies she needed, she walked back down the block that led to her truck. She passed by an alley and froze. Something in her senses struck her, signaling that something was off. She cautiously looked into the alley. Cold eyes glanced at her after a few seconds and she gasped, dropping her bags. A low growl emanated from the person's mouth. Asami immediately recognized it and red alarms were screaming in her head. Their scent was obvious and she wondered how she hadn't noticed it earlier.

The person began crawling towards her threateningly. But something was off yet again. They were not nearly as big as a normal alpha or beta. It was almost like it was a…kid. Asami gasped when the child emerged out from the shadows concealing her. It was indeed a young child, maybe around 7 or 8 years old.

Asami's sense of danger instantly lowered. But what was a pup doing out here? Surely no one of their pack had given birth without anyone knowing it and left the offspring to fend for themselves. Such an event doesn't go unnoticed. Nothing made sense to Asami. Had someone of another pack left the child here? But there isn't a pack close enough for that…unless they were deserters.

Asami's eyes went wide. This was a child of a deserter. How would the pack, let alone Korra, react to her bringing the child back with her? But she couldn't just leave her here.

The kid took another step forward, now barring teeth at her. Asami briskly walked up to her, startling the child to fall on her butt. Asami kneeled down to her level. "Where are you from?"

The kid blinked. The question had caught her off-guard. Suddenly the growl returned full-force. "That's none of your business."

"I do believe it is since, after all, you are in Avatar territory."

The child gasped and scrambled backwards. "I-I knew you smelled like one of them."

"I won't hurt you. Just answer the question."

The child hesitated before growling at herself. "I don't know what I'm doing here. My parents left me here a few days ago and haven't returned."

Asami's façade fell through. This child was either purposely abandoned in hopes of her being killed by an Avatar member _or_ to be taken in by the pack. She hoped it was the latter because she was not going to allow Korra to kill this child just because she's from a deserter.

Asami reached her hand out towards the girl, who flinched and recoiled. Her heart ached for this girl. It wasn't until she was close up that she noticed the bruises across her body. Her heart pumped faster. It wasn't the latter. She was abused and left to die.

She laid a hand on her head and petted her. The girl peaked out cautiously. Asami smiled gently at her. "I told you I wouldn't hurt you. In fact I might be able to help you if you cooperate."

The girl bit her lip. "How so?"

"First hold still." Asami said. She felt a bump on the girl's head. She combed her fingers through her hair and gasped when she felt furry ears. Two ears then popped out of their hiding spots within the girl's hair. Asami looked over her and saw a tail laying between her legs. This girl didn't know how to conceal herself?! That was taught to most pups by the time they were 5!

The girl could tell something was wrong when the woman in front of her gasped at the sight of her ears. The woman looked her in the eyes. "Can you conceal yourself?" She simply shook her head.

Asami had to forcefully steady her breathing. "O-Okay. That's okay. We can teach you. Would you like to come with me?"

"But my parents?"

Asami sighed sadly. "Sweetie, I don't think they're returning to you."

The child sighed too. "I kinda figured that… Yeah I'll go with you."

Asami smiled and took the girl's hand. "Can you walk on two feet?"

The girl gulped and grasped at Asami's hand to steady herself. "Umm, I think I can make it a block or two. I'm used to only walking on all fours."

"Okay. That's enough to get to my truck." Asami grabbed her grocery bags and began walking with the girl in tow back to her truck. "I didn't get your name by the way. I'm Asami."

The child smiled up at her. "My name's Riko."

* * *

"Korra? I'm home!" Asami announced as she walked in. No response came. "Okay it's clear. C'mon in, Riko. She's not home yet."

Riko hesitantly peered into the small cabin. "So Korra's your mate?"

Asami watched as the pup inspected her surroundings. "Yeah we've been mates for a few years now. And just a warning, she's an alpha, so she might get really territorial."

"Noted." Riko said. The girl was back to walking on all fours. Walking on two feet was draining since she rarely did it. Suddenly she saw Asami unloading the groceries. She bit her lip to keep from groaning, but her stomach gave her away. Asami heard it and glanced over, then laughed at the embarrassed look on the girl's face.

"It's fine, Riko. I can make something for you to eat. I bet you're hungry if you've been on your own for a few days."

Riko stared at the woman, surprised by her generosity. "I… I would appreciate it. Thank you."

Suddenly the front door slammed open. "'Sami? You home?!"

"Yeah, Korra! In the kitchen!"

Riko's adrenaline started pumping like crazy. As Korra's scent got stronger, Riko's instincts kicked in. Her eyes dilated and her ear pricked back. Her tail dipped between her legs as she cowered to the ground. For some reason she pressed closer to Asami's legs and began growling.

Korra froze once she entered the kitchen. Tension immediately grew as the two eyed each other. Suddenly Korra curled her lips back and barred her teeth at the intruder. Why was Asami letting this outsider press against her?! "'Sami?"

Asami could feel Korra was about to shift. She hastily stepped in between the two wolves. "Korra, don't."

"What's an outsider doing here?" Korra's voice dripped with ragged rage.

"Korra she's a child! She was abandoned!"

"She's acting like she owns you." Korra growled.

Asami froze and looked behind her. Korra was right and that was bad. Riko was huddled behind her legs, glaring at the alpha with that look that said 'don't touch'.

"Tch, she doesn't know any better Korra! She doesn't even know how to conceal herself!"

Korra paused. She decided to look closer at the pup. She saw the bruises littering her body and that she was quite thin. Her ears stuck out from her hair and her tail was dipped low. She wasn't doing it to be territorial, but because she was scared.

"She was abandoned in hopes that our pack would kill her. It's our responsibility to see that doesn't happen. We need to help her." Asami argued. She wasn't afraid of going against Korra.

Korra looked back up at her mate. "You want to take her in? You're sure?"

Asami was undeterred. "Yes Korra. I've been sure of it since I saw her. She needs us."

Korra sighed roughly and ran a hand through her short hair. "I need to have a pack meeting."

Asami nodded. "Go ahead. I'm just going to make dinner."

Korra ran back outside and Asami huffed as she got ingredients out to prepare dinner. Riko felt conflicted about the whole situation. Was it safe to return to Asami's side? A few minutes passed and Korra still hadn't returned.

Asami gasped when she felt Riko huddle against her legs again. Riko positioned herself to look at the door and then curled up at her feet. Asami smiled gently and leaned down to pet her head. Riko smiled and closed her eyes happily.

Riko was woken when she felt someone shaking her gently. "Riko, wake up. Dinner is done."

She stumbled up and crawled into the seat Asami pulled out for her. She instantly woke up when she saw Korra sitting across from her. Her breathing picked up and she tightly gripped the table.

Asami sat in the other seat and rubbed her shoulder. "It's okay, Riko. She won't hurt you."

The group silently started eating dinner. Riko was too nervous to take more than two bites.

"The pack agrees with you." Korra quietly spoke up.

Asami perked up. "Of course they do. They realized that we need to take care of her."

Korra let out a dark chuckle. "Yeah, that's funny. Because even though they agree with you, no one would step up to take care of her."

Asami scowled. "Not even Tenzin and Pema?"

"No, they have enough to do with four kids already."

Pause.

"So what now?" Asami questioned.

"Well, Asami, she's stuck with us." Korra responded sarcastically.

Asami picked up on it and huffed. "I will happily keep her Korra."

Korra went wide-eyed. "Asami why?! She was abandoned by deserters of all things! That's like a double negative or whatever you call it!"

"Korra." Asami looked her dead in the eye. "Would you really rather kill her?"

Korra hesitated under her mate's scrutiny. "N-No, but I don't want her either."

"Well we're stuck with her whether we like it or not, so deal with it."

Korra pouted when Asami used her tagline, but decided to keep her mouth shut. She was fighting a losing battle.

* * *

The next day Asami nervously left the cabin to go to work. She got a call halfway through her shift. It was at this point that she was grateful that she was able to convince Korra to have a phone in case of emergencies. "Korra?"  
Korra spoke in a monotone voice. "Asami get this monstrosity out of our cabin."

"What happened?" Asami asked knowingly.

"We've been having a stare-off at the table since breakfast. I can't calm her down for obvious reasons."

Asami sighed. "Okay, give me an hour."

She clicked off the phone and searched for one of the other workers. "Hey, I'm having family issues at home. My cousin was basically just dropped into my hands. Is it okay if I take the rest of today off?"

The other head mechanic bought the lie and popped his head out from under a hood. "Sure thing, Asami. You could use the break from us anyway! Take as long as you need to sort things out."

Asami smiled. "Thanks. I'll call to let you know when I'll return."

She ran to her truck and sped down the dirt road that led to the backwoods that belonged to the pack. She dashed inside and froze when she saw both wolves still at the dining table having a stare-off. She had to be careful how she handled this, especially since Riko was already abused. She suddenly smiled brightly and brought forth the box that was hidden under her arm. Korra saw from the corner of her eye but kept eye contact with the young pup.

Suddenly a bone of some sort wiggled in front of Riko's view. She blinked and looked at the bone instead of Korra. She rose a brow and looked at Asami above her, who was eagerly waving the treat in front of her face. She waited for the woman to say something, but the room was completely quiet. "Uh, what's that?"

Asami continued to smile, which was beginning to make her nervous. But then Asami spoke up. "It's a treat. It tastes good, but you can only get it if you behave."

Riko pursed her lips. "How do I know it won't kill me?"

Asami rose a brow. She still thinks they're gonna kill her? Suddenly Asami shoved the bone into her mouth. Riko coughed at first, but then actually began eating it once the flavor hit her. "See? It's good, isn't it?"

Riko smiled and nodded eagerly as she gnawed on the bone. Korra watched in wonder. "'Sami? What is that? It looks good."

Asami chuckled and showed her the box of dog treats on the counter. "I got these on the way home. I figured it'd be good incentives to teach her."

Korra smiled. "You're so smart."

Asami grabbed her chin and forced her mouth open a tiny bit just enough to reward her with her own treat. Korra moaned and happily nibbled on it. Asami leaned down to her ear. "You know if you actually behave you'll be rewarded in another way that I think you'd like." Korra picked up on the undertone and gave a forceful bite to the treat.

The rest of the day went relatively smooth now that Asami was there. It seemed Riko trusted only her at the moment but it made sense since she rescued her. However, they realized something the next morning when Riko slumped onto the dining table.

Korra and Asami exchanged a look before the omega kneeled next to the girl's seat. "Riko, are you okay? Are you feeling sick?"

It was when the young wolf turned her head to look at her that Asami noticed dark bags forming under the girl's eyes and her skin was pale. Asami went wide-eyed and instantly put her hand to her forehead to check her temperature. Riko shook her off and laid her head back on the table.

Asami scowled. Maybe she just needed breakfast to wake her up. She thought about foods that made Korra feel better and proceeded to make sausage and gravy. However, when she sat a plate in front of her, Riko just pushed it away. Asami frowned. Riko needed to eat something. Maybe this had something to do with the fact that she's in new territory.

All of a sudden, a bone was dropped in front of her on the table. Riko eyed it for a minute before slowly reaching out for it and placing one end in her mouth. She closed her eyes as she carefully gnawed at the treat.

Asami sighed. It was a start.

After breakfast, Riko did actually seem to wake up to some extent. She and Korra were currently having another stare-off. Asami sighed when she found them at it again from opposite sides of the couch.

Korra was smacked in the back of the end. "Ow! What was that for?"

Asami scowled and lowered her voice. "You're having a stare-off with a pup, that's what! You know better, she doesn't." Korra pouted and crossed her arms. Asami then tugged the pup off of the couch. "You need to be socialized." Asami said before the kid could argue. Korra decided to follow them to make sure nothing crazy happened.

The first stop was Tenzin's. All four kids were playing outside. Rohan was sitting on the front porch playing with his tail. The other three were playing some sort of game of tag. Asami smiled at the children chasing each other on all fours. "Jinora! Meelo! Get back here! This isn't fun anymore!" Ikki yelled at them. Jinora and Meelo simply laughed and continued running. Meelo and Ikki were just learning to conceal themselves. Rohan was obviously in the beginning stages. Jinora was advanced for her age and had already mastered it, but it was still fun to deactivate it.

Pema opened the door and greeted them. "Oh, Asami! What a lovely surprise! I thought you were working at the repair shop?"

Asami laughed. "Yeah well I was but I took a few days off to make sure the transition for everyone went smoothly."

"Why would you have to deal with that?" Pema asked in confusion. "Wouldn't that be Korra's job…?" She blinked with realization when Korra caught up to them with how the two wolves growled at each other before turning away. Pema laughed. "Oh, I understand now. Well let me fetch some tea for you! We can sit outside to watch the kids if you want."

Asami smiled. "I'd appreciate that. Thank you."

Five minutes later, Korra and Asami were sitting on the porch with Pema watching the kids play. "So I'm guessing there are problems at home." Pema asked quietly.

Asami nodded. "Yes, honestly we don't know what to do. This is our first time taking care of a kid besides yours. But your kids are so well-behaved!"

Pema laughed. "Oh deary, you have no idea how having four kids together at once can be crazy. But I understand where you're coming from. She wasn't taught, was she?"

Asami shook her head. "No, she wasn't even taught to conceal herself. And she has no idea how the pack mechanics work because she's already had several stare-offs with Korra."

Pema gasped. "She what?! Are you serious?"

Korra scoffed. "Yeah, it's ridiculous." She mumbled.

Asami punched her in the shoulder. "You weren't exactly helping the situation. But anyway, I brought her here to socialize her since she's never been in a pack. And also in hopes that you might have some advice for us."

They quietly watched the kids for a few minutes. Pema sighed. "I don't know if there is any advice that would work honestly. She wasn't brought up the same way so my methods probably won't work. I'm sorry girls."

Korra smiled slightly and looked up. "Don't worry, Pema. We'll figure something out. Asami already had a genius idea to reward her with dog treats."

Pema gasped and then giggled. "You mean like ones you buy from the store?"

Asami chuckled. "Yeah and she actually likes them."

"I might have to try that out for myself." Pema admitted.

They looked back to the kids and gasped. Riko was seated crisscross style while Jinora tried to show her how to conceal herself. The oldest pup tugged on Riko's ears, showing her how to activate the concealment. Riko scrunched her face up as she tried to complete it. She peaked her eyes open after a minute and slouched down when she realized she hadn't done it. Jinora smiled sadly at her and spoke some encouraging words to her.

Pema smiled softly at the new mothers. "I think she'll fit in just fine. I could watch her during the day if you want so you two can do your jobs."

Asami smiled brightly. "Thank you so much Pema! But I'm sure she'll need several days to get to know you all first before I can leave her with you."

Pema waved her hand. "That's no problem with me. I'm here all of the time just watching the kids."

That night, Asami dragged Korra upstairs just before they headed to bed. But she stopped in front of Riko's room, which used to be the spare room, instead. Korra rose a brow. "What's up, 'Sami?" Korra whispered.

Asami put her ear to the door. "I don't think she's sleeping at all. That's why she was acting weird this morning."

Korra paused. "Well…what can we do?"

Asami looked at her mate for a minute. "I think this is something I have to do, alone. You go ahead to bed, sweetie. I'm going to check on Riko."

Asami waited for Korra to leave, but the alpha hesitated. In the end, she knew she couldn't help right now and drudged away. Asami carefully opened the door. "Riko? You awake?"

Riko was huddled against the headboard hugging her legs. "Yeah, I'm up."

"Why are you still up? It's late."

Riko looked away and rested her head on her knees. "I can't sleep."

"Why not?" Asami asked as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Because you'll kill me then."

Asami froze. This girl had been with them for three days now and she still thinks they're going to kill her? "R-Riko, sweetie, no one's going to kill you. The pack is very happy to have you here. Why would you think that?"

Riko scoffed. "Because Korra is your mate and she's alpha so even if you don't want me killed she could still kill me if she wanted."

Asami abruptly moved forward to sit next to the girl. "Okay we need to talk. You don't even know what's normal in a pack. Yes, Korra is alpha, but our pack is a little different than most. She and I work together to make important decisions, even though I am an omega. But it's because we love each other that we work together. She won't go against my wishes, I promise you that."

Riko still looked nervous. "I-I trust you, but I'm still scared." She admitted.

Asami frowned. She tried to think of anything that would help make the girl feel better. "Would you be able to sleep if I stayed with you?"

Riko quickly turned back to her. "You'd do that?" She asked in disbelief.

Asami nodded. "Yes, because you need sleep and you can't sleep if you don't feel safe. I'll keep you safe, Riko."

Riko was breathing heavily and looking back and forth between Asami and the ground. Then she nodded. Asami happily pulled the blankets up and hugged the girl. Riko still looked nervous. Asami wondered how much she was alike to Korra, and brought her hand up to pet the pup. Riko winced at first, but then eased into her touch and soon fell asleep. Asami quietly giggled to herself. Maybe petting was a wolf thing.

Riko woke up the next morning when soft hands gently shook her awake. "C'mon Riko, it's morning."

Riko slowly blinked the sleep away. It was morning already? She slept peacefully through the whole night. She softly smiled at her adoptive mother, who happily smiled back. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah I did, thanks."

"It's no problem. Now let's go make breakfast before Korra turns into an ugly beast." Asami joked. Riko laughed and trailed after the omega.

Korra slowly made her way down the stairs. However, she froze when she heard laughing from the kitchen.

"Can I help?!" Riko asked eagerly.

Asami laughed and allowed the girl to stir the contents of the bowl. "Careful! Don't spill it!" She laughed. A splatter jumped from the spoon and landed on the pup's face. The two of them erupted with laughter.

Suddenly they heard a cough from the doorway. Riko shrunk back a little bit. Asami smiled sadly as she noticed this but still trotted over to her mate and kissed her on the cheek. "Morning Korra. We were just making breakfast."

"Sounded like you were having fun." Korra said. Riko still felt intimidated by her but she heard no malice in the alpha's voice. "What is it?"

"Pancakes. I know you like those." Asami answered and dragged her towards the counter to show her.

Korra smiled, now impatient for breakfast. She looked over to the pup and noticed she was carefully watching them. All of a sudden, Korra smirked. "Ya know, I think something's missing."

Asami rose a brow questionably. "What're you talking about? I've been making you pancakes for years."

She was interrupted when Korra took a bit of batter onto her finger and threw it against her cheek. Asami gasped. She tried to sputter out a response, but then she felt another bit of batter hit her other cheek. She instantly turned to the pup, who looked excitedly nervous. She then smirked. "Oh, we can play this game."

Asami then took a handful of batter in each hand and threw one at each wolf. Both happily screamed as a food fight began. Riko ducked in between Korra's legs as they raced around the kitchen and jumped onto Asami's back. They laughed as Riko smeared more batter on her face. Asami gently kneeled to the ground and grabbed the rascal and tried to smear batter onto her. Riko dodged, but then a blob hit her in the back of the head. She looked over her shoulder and saw Korra on their level on the ground ready to throw another blob of batter.

"Foul beast, let thy damsel go!" Korra acted out.

Riko smiled brightly and jumped out of Asami's lap. She tackled the alpha and the two excitedly wrestled, smearing batter on each other every chance they had. Asami contently sat on the ground watching the two wolves…well, playing, almost like normal child and parent. Asami sighed happily. This would work out. She had hope for them.

Suddenly Riko was lifted off of the alpha. "Alright pup, you need a bath now." Asami said.

Riko squirmed in her arms, adrenaline still pumping through her, and squealed. "You need a shower too, Korra. Go clean up while I help with her bath."

Korra smiled at them and agreed. But before she went to their own bathroom, she ran her knuckle under Riko's chin and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Riko stopped her wild antics and stared wide-eyed at the alpha. Korra's smile brightened and she ran ahead.

Riko slowly smiled and glanced up at Asami. The omega smiled excitedly at her. Riko and Korra were finally starting to grow onto each other.

That night, Asami stayed with Riko until she fell asleep again. However, she missed her mate and snuck out to return to her own bed. It was after midnight and so Korra half-consciously wrapped her arms around her. Asami was finally starting to fall asleep when there was a gentle knock at their door. Asami peered up to see Riko nervously fidgeting at the door. She then felt bad for leaving the pup, but then Riko simply crawled into bed with them. She tucked herself in between Korra's arms and squeezed herself in between the two of them. Korra peeked her eye open and then hugged Riko tighter. Asami tiredly smiled and joined them. And together as a family, they fell asleep.


	6. Ch 6 Spread Thin: 'Omegaverse' AU Part 2

**Edit: Not your typical omegaverse story because I feel weird writing some of those things...**

* * *

One week later, Asami finally felt safe leaving Riko with the pack so that she could return to work. And she was happily greeted when she returned home. Riko chased after her truck as she drove past Pema's house. Asami laughed when she saw the girl's tongue was hanging out of her mouth. Dirt rose up from the road as she slowed to a stop. Riko ran to the driver side and circled Asami's legs as she exited the vehicle. "Riko! I'm glad to see you too!" Asami laughed. Who knew a wolf child would act just like a dog?

"Okay Riko! I'll play with you! Just let me take a shower first!" Asami exclaimed, finally pulling herself away from the orphan. Riko pouted and aimlessly walked around the house until Asami returned again.

Korra tiredly walked into the cabin covered in dirt. It had been a wild day running with the pack. She drudged into the living room and was surprised by what she saw. Riko was curled up and asleep in her mate's lap and snoring lightly. Asami was reading a book while petting the girl's hair. The omega looked up when she saw Korra walk in the room. "Hi sweetie, how was your day?" Asami whispered once Korra stood in front of her.

Korra rubbed her neck, her nervous habit. "It was kinda crazy today. Bolin and Mako got into some sort of fight."

Asami frowned and reached out for her. Korra obliged and kneeled onto the floor so her mate could look at her. "Korra, are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, 'Sami. If you're worried about me then you'd hate to see Mako's face right now." Korra mumbled.

Asami stifled a laugh and rubbed Korra's cheek. "I just worry about you still."

Korra bowed her head. "I know, and that's okay." She then looked over to the sleeping pup, who was starting to drool but luckily her hand was positioned to catch it. She chuckled and gently pet her head. "You know, maybe having a kid isn't so bad."

Asami eyes widened. "Korra, do you realize what you're saying?"

Korra smiled. "Yeah, I do. I used to think I didn't want kids; that you and I would be happy on our own. But I can see how much joy Riko's brought to us."

Asami huffed sarcastically. "And a week ago you were absolutely livid about the whole situation."

They paused as they watched Riko sleep. "Maybe we should have kids after all." Korra whispered.

Asami gasped and had to cover her mouth. "K-Korra! Now I'm wondering if Mako or Bolin hit you harder than you thought."

Korra laughed. "No, I mean it! But not now obviously. We're still learning how to take care of an 8-year-old pup."

It went quiet again. "You're serious?" Asami asked doubtfully.

"Yeah, but only if this works out with Riko. Oh and only if you want to have more kids!" Korra exclaimed, realizing that maybe Asami didn't want more kids. Maybe Riko was enough for her. They hadn't actually discussed having kids together before.

Asami leaned down and forcefully pressed her lips to the alpha's. Korra stumbled a little bit before righting herself and returning the gesture. They pulled away with a loud pop. "I love you Korra."

The alpha smiled brightly. "I love you too, Asami."

A cough from below interrupted them. They looked back down into Asami's lap and saw that Riko was now awake. She was giving them an awkward smile. "Ya know, it's all fine and dandy that you two love each other, but do you think you can do it when I'm not sleeping right next to you?"

The couple paused and looked back at each other, then abruptly broke out into laughter. Riko rose a brow, but then joined them. Korra reached down and took the pup into her arms. Riko screamed happily as she slid onto Korra's back and hung onto the alpha as she ran outside. Asami wandered over to the window and watched them play. Korra was on the ground at Riko's level and even decided to deactivate her concealment. Together they ran on all fours chasing each other. Asami smiled brightly. Nothing made her happier than watching them play together right now. She chuckled and walked into the kitchen. At least they would be tired out by dinner.

But Asami had something else on her mind other than forming a family. As she and Korra laid in bed that night, Asami held a thoughtful look on her face. Korra pouted and pulled her closer to her. "What's on your mind, Asami?"

Asami quickly glanced up at the sound of her name. "Oh, u-umm, well you were talking earlier about how you might want more kids, but only if we did good with Riko." She paused and Korra nodded in confusion. Asami decided to continue "Well I think we should try to put Riko in school."

Korra nearly fell out of the bed from reacting. "School?! Like p-public school?!"

Asami frowned and looked away, but she knew Korra would react like this. "Yes, public school. You may not agree but I think she needs an education. She's already so far behind just culturally within the pack."

"Asami, she's a wolf; one of us. What use would school be for her? Because she's just going to join the pack."

Asami gave Korra a stern look. "Just because she is a wolf doesn't mean she is destined to run with the pack! The wolf culture won't survive just by keeping to ourselves!"

The room went quiet as the two huffed with heavy breaths in anger. Suddenly Korra slid out of bed and trekked out of the room. "I'll just sleep on the couch tonight."

Asami yelled out in frustration and dropped herself into the mattress. "Why is she so stubborn?" She whispered to herself.

* * *

Korra woke up to the sound of the front door slamming. She groggily lifted her head from the couch and saw Asami pulling out of the driveway. She didn't smell breakfast and sighed. Asami must be really mad if she didn't make breakfast for them. She ventured into the kitchen to see what was available to eat. She saw a note on the counter and blinked in surprise.

'Heat up the stew from last night.'

Korra knew Asami only left the note because of Riko. If it wasn't for the pup, Asami would have no problem letting Korra fend for herself. She sighed and began prepping the meal.

After breakfast, Korra and Riko walked to Tenzin and Pema's house. Pema was already on the porch because her kids were roughhousing outside. She greeted them with a smile. Riko quickly ran after the other kids to play with them. Korra was about to leave when she saw the kids and froze. Riko was able to play with the kids but was hesitant to join them at first. She had to watch them first before knowing what to do to fit in. And the worse part was that she still couldn't conceal herself. Korra sighed and ran off into the woods to clear her head.

Asami shucked her boots and jacket off once she returned home. Oddly enough, the house was quiet. Confused, she began wandering around the cabin. Then she saw Korra sitting solemnly on the couch. She huffed and moved to walk upstairs, but Korra spoke up.

"I'm sorry."

Asami grabbed onto the handrail and turned around. "Have you really thought about what I said?"

Korra nodded quickly and hopped up off of the couch. "Yes, I have Asami. I-I…I watched Riko a little bit and I already knew that she was behind with pack ideals. But just watching her made me think. There's no guarantee that she'll join the pack, especially since she is technically an outsider. The pack might reject her later on once she's old enough. She deserves a chance to decide her own fate."

Asami's glare disappeared once she realized that Korra was being genuine. "You're willing to let her try school?"

"Yes, but only once she's learned pack ideals. She can't go into the public if she can't even conceal herself." Korra explained.

Asami smiled. "Right, of course. That's perfectly reasonably. Speaking of which, where is Riko?"

"Oh, I had Pema keep her busy a little while longer so we could talk." Korra replied.

Asami smirked and sauntered over to the alpha. "So we're all on our own…for the first time in nearly two weeks."

Korra slowly smiled and hugged the omega's hips rapidly. "We do indeed. Have any plans?"

"Hmm, I don't know. I should probably make dinner for Riko." Asami was cut off when Korra pressed her lips to her neck.

"I think Pema can handle the pup a little longer. So, upstairs?" Korra said, beginning to drag her mate upstairs. Asami nodded eagerly and jumped into Korra's open arms.

* * *

Fast forward to a year later, Asami's stomach had swollen with a child. No, it wasn't Korra's, because two girls can't reproduce. Korra _very_ reluctantly allowed another pack member to impregnate Asami. The man wished to remain anonymous, wishing for his child to not worry about having a father. Still, Korra tried to attack the man afterwards and it took Tenzin, Bolin, _and_ Mako to hold her back. Korra had to withdraw to the woods for several days to cool down.

Riko stuck by Asami's side constantly. Even though she was getting the hang of using the concealment, it remained activated for a few days after that. She felt on guard and knew something had happened with Asami. Korra hadn't returned so Riko felt that it was her duty to protect her mother. When Korra did return, Asami immediately reprimanded the alpha and forced her to sleep on the couch for three days.

Now, it was summer and Asami was 6 months pregnant. Male members of the pack were getting antsy and Korra had to put several of them in their place already. This is why pregnancy couldn't go unnoticed. Pregnant wolves released this scent that drove everyone mad.

But currently, she wasn't on pack land. She was returning from the local elementary school with Riko. Korra finally agreed that Riko was on par to start school. However, trouble arose since she didn't have the proper paperwork like birth certificate and health records. Asami had to forge the papers, and luckily the school paid no mind to it. Riko would be admitted to the school that fall, which was just a month away. But Riko was still behind, and even though she was pregnant, Asami still worked really hard to catch Riko up to the outside world.

However, things took a turn for the worse when they arrived home from the school meeting. As Asami hobbled out of the truck, Riko immediately dove in front of her down on all fours and deactivated her concealment. Asami gasped loudly. Riko had never looked so menacing. Her lips were curled back to show her sharp teeth. The hair on her neck and arms began rising in alarm. Her ears were pricked back, but not in fear, Asami noticed, but in dominance.

Asami looked around for the danger and finally saw one male member crawling towards them, down on all fours and ears and tail visible. Riko growled loudly, announcing her authority. Asami looked up and back. No, Riko was only 9 years old. She couldn't take on a full-fledged wolf! "Riko! No!" But it was too late. The bigger wolf charged and Riko copied him.

Asami was astounded. Riko was actually keeping up with the beta wolf. How was that possible? But she didn't have the stamina and was quickly growing tired. The beta smacked her in the face and send her skidding against the dirt road. Asami yelled out and backed into the side of her truck. The wolf slowly crept up to her. She hastily glanced all around. No one else was nearby and she was cornered. This was the big problem with pregnancies.

Suddenly, a deep growl reverberated from a few feet away. They didn't have time to look for the source because the beta was tackled into the ground by a small brown wolf. It bit at his shoulders and back before the beta too shifted into his wolf form.

It took Asami a moment to realize that the brown wolf was Riko. She gasped and covered her mouth in astonishment. Riko shouldn't be able to shift at 9 years old! Most wolves didn't shift for the first time until 13 or 14 years old! Unless…they were an alpha. Asami was in such shock that she couldn't move. Everything in the past year now made so much sense.

The wolves traded blows but the beta was quickly gaining the upper hand again. Riko jumped onto his back and began biting at him again. Just then, the beta threw Riko off of him and she hit a tree at such strong force that she couldn't breathe. She slid to the ground and gasped for air.

The beta wolf began crawling towards Asami again, but this time in a much more threatening manner. Asami squeezed her eyes shut as he leapt towards her. Suddenly she heard rapid shuffling through the woods and another wolf intercepted the beta.

Asami looked up and gasped happily as she recognized the giant gray wolf. "Korra!"

She watched them fight it out and could tell that Korra was outraged just by the movement of her swift attacks. But there was still a problem. Asami turned and ran towards Riko, who had been forced to shift back to human form after taking so much damage.

"Riko! Sweetie, are you alright?" Asami asked, even though she knew the answer. But maybe she could assess the damage if she heard Riko talk.

Riko simply glanced up at her and continued wheezing. One hand held her side and the other reached out towards her adoptive mother. Asami frowned. Riko couldn't even speak. She urgently grabbed her hands and started rubbing her thumb over her hand. "It's okay, Riko. You're safe now. Korra's going to protect us." Riko nodded numbly.

Korra had the beta in her teeth. She wanted to kill the fool, but she had more important priorities. She dropped the wolf and he slumped to the ground in a battered heap. Korra shifted to her human form and dashed towards her family. She frantically checked Asami for wounds. "Asami! Are you okay?! Is the baby okay?!"

"Yes Korra we're fine! But Riko's hurt! Badly! She's needs attention now!" Asami exclaimed. Korra was beginning to hyperventilate and Asami smacked her on the cheek. "Snap out of it! I need you to carry Riko inside!"

Korra hastily nodded and carefully picked up the pup. Riko whimpered in pain and clutched to the alpha. Asami was already dialing a familiar number on her phone. Korra frantically yet gently laid Riko on the couch. Her hands shook. She didn't know what to do. Her hands were made to maim and destroy. How could she help her adoptive daughter?

Asami yelled out in frustration and slammed her cell phone on the counter. "I called Tenzin but Kya's not there!"

Korra jolted up and blinked. Of course, Kya was a healer. Before Asami could say anymore, Korra dashed through the front door, startling the omega.

* * *

Riko's consciousness was fading in and out. She could feel Asami shakily rubbing her head. Pain rippled throughout her body, but it was worth protecting her mother and her future sibling. Korra hadn't been gone long before she busted through the front door again with two other women. "I found Kya!"

Asami quickly stood up and approached them. "She fought against the beta that's now unconscious outside. It's serious. Can you please help her?!" Asami asked quickly.

Kya raised her hand to silence her. "Of course I will. Just give me some space." Kya rushed over to the whimpering pup. Asami watched in wonder as blue energy emitted from the woman's hands. She'd seen it done plenty of times, but every time it astounded her. She looked back for Korra but found her missing. She walked to the window and saw Korra with Lin, Kya's mate, handling the beta that had attacked them.

A pain-filled cry drew Asami's attention again. She hurried into the living to see Riko writhing in pain. Kya had a worried expression on her face. She sighed before speaking to Asami. "It seems like her ribs are injured, along with numerous open cuts scattered around. I can heal it partially, but she's gonna need to be bandaged up pretty good still."

"But she starts school in a month!"

"She may be a child but she's also a wolf. She'll heal quickly." Kya assured her.

Asami bit her lip nervously and sat down next to the pup. "Thank you Kya."

"It's no problem. I'll return in a few days to see how much she's healed." Kya then walked outside to find her mate.

Eventually Korra wandered back inside. Riko had already fallen asleep in Asami's lap. "So how are we going to deal with the beta?"

Korra shook her head, as if to say that it wasn't Asami's problem. "Don't worry about it. Lin's taking care of it. You won't ever see him again."

Asami sighed in relief and hugged Riko closer to her. Korra sat down beside her and pet the pup's head. "So what did Kya say?"

"She said that her ribs are injured, that she'll heal quicker because she's a wolf, and that we shouldn't worry." Asami repeated back to her mate.

Korra sighed and laid back against the couch. "I guess it could be worse."

"You better just hope she recovers in time for school." Asami growled with a smirk.

Korra smirked too. "And what if she doesn't?"

They were leaning closer and closer until their lips met. Asami pulled just an inch away to talk. "Then you're stuck on the couch until she's heal." She whispered.

Korra quickly pulled away and groaned. "But this isn't my fault!"

"No but there will be consequences if she doesn't start school on time."

Korra smiled proudly. "Asami you know she'll be fine in a few weeks. She'll be able to go to school."

Asami sighed and continued petting her daughter's head. "I know. I just worry a lot, especially since she'll be gaining a sibling soon."

"You know she's really excited about it?" Korra asked. Asami looked up at her with a brow raised. "Yeah, when it's just me and her, she talks about how she can wait to have a brother or sister; that she'll protect them no matter what, just like she did today."

The room went quiet as the couple watched the pup breathe in and out.

"Speaking of which, we need to talk about what happened." Asami started.

Korra was smiling gently at their daughter. "What's there to talk about? She's an alpha. There's not much more to it than that."

Asami groaned. "I know, but I still feel like we need to discuss it. She probably doesn't even realize what that mean herself. How do we explain to her that she's one of nature's "top dogs"?"

Korra looked up at her. "We can tell her she's just like me."

Asami paused. "I'm not entirely sure how she'll handle that one." She chuckled.

"Hear me out! I mean I know we didn't start out that great, but it didn't take long for us to grow on each other! She's been with us for over a year now. She knows what I do."

Asami chuckled still. "Okay, but you're on your own for that conversation."


	7. Ch 7 Spread Thin: 'Omegaverse' AU Part 3

**Edit: Not your typical omegaverse story because I feel weird writing some of those things...**

* * *

Riko scowled at the morning sun. Her younger brother squirmed in his seat beside her. Being up this early should be a crime. But here she was, driving them to school. She pulled up to the elementary school where dozens of other 7 and 8-year-olds were rushing inside the building. "Don't forget to pick me up after school this time!" Kohaku yelled as he jumped out of her truck.

"I do it every day, you brat! I won't forget." She replied before driving to the high school a few blocks down. She pulled into the parking lot and drudged inside. The town was small and there were probably only 40 other high school students who drove.

Riko was a loner in school. She isolated herself in fear of revealing her true self. She sat at her desk in her first class and prepared to take notes for the day, just like any other day. Even though her family didn't expect a lot out of her, Asami always got excited to see good report cards.

Once class got started, Riko casually glanced over to a few seats up. There sat another girl wearing ripped up blue jeans and red shirt with a gray plaid jacket thrown over top of it. Her hair was thrown back into a lazy ponytail and she wore little makeup. She was fervently taking notes when suddenly she paused. Riko had gotten too caught up in her to notice. The girl carefully glanced back at her. They had a short stare-off before the jock next to the girl playfully nudged her forward. She blushed and faced forward again.

Finally realizing what happened, Riko's hand slipped from holding her head up and her forehead hit the desk. She growled to herself and heard the jock laugh at her. For some reason even though she wasn't a girly girl, plenty of guys tried to flirt with the other girl on a regular basis. Her name was Karina, and Riko had dug her grave by having a crush on her.

Riko quickly raised her head and rushed to catch up on the notes on board before they were erased. When the bell rang, she quickly ran out of the class to avoid her classmates. People only seemed to make fun of her for being a loner.

As her last class finally ended, she sat a little longer to avoid the after-school traffic. After a few minutes, she proceeded to walk outside to her truck. Kohaku should be waiting for her by now. Just as she crossed the lot, someone hollered over to her in panic. She looked up and saw a flying football headed her way. She hastily dodged at the last moment and then picked it up. She walked over to the fence that surrounded the football field and saw the team practicing. One guy began walking over to her to retrieve the ball.

"Just throw it."

Riko looked over to the bleachers and saw Karina sitting there with a few other girls. It took her a moment to realize it was Karina who was telling her to throw it. She questionably looked to the boy, who had stopped to see if she would actually throw it. She contemplated it for a minute, looking back to Karina. The girl simply smiled at her. Riko sighed and threw the ball back towards the field. She immediately regretted it as it soared over the boy's head and towards a smaller group of jocks. It hit one player in the back and he instantly turned around to find the culprit. Riko gulped. It was the boy from her first class. He finally spotted her and marched over.

Riko wanted to go into wolf-form and just run home. School was becoming a daily nightmare she just wanted to escape from. But then she felt a hand on her shoulder. Karina stepped in front of her as the jock reached them. Riko blinked in surprise and then blushed at the close proximity.

"Karina, what're you doing?" The jock asked threateningly.

"I told her to throw it." Karina replied.

"So?! You didn't think she'd aim it at me?!"

"Step back, Mitch." Karina warned him.

"Or what? You won't lend me notes?" He asked mockingly.

"I don't owe you anything. Now go back to practice."

"Bitch, I own you!"

Riko was completely confused by what was taking place in front of her. Everyone thought that the two of them were dating, but was Karina denying that? Neither of them ever explicitly stated that they were dating. However, Riko saw red at his last statement.

Karina stepped forward to push him away, but Riko jumped in front of her. She grabbed Mitch by his collar and hauled the muscular boy into the air to where he was leaning over the fence. She could see panic etched across his face.

"H-Hey! What're you doing, you freak?!"

Riko growled and bared her teeth at him. "Don't you ever call her that again, understand?"

He frantically nodded his head. She let go of him and he ran back to practice. Riko didn't bother looking around and began marching towards her truck.

"H-Hey, wait up!" Karina hollered after her. She had to run to catch up with her and Riko was already climbing into the front seat of her truck.

"WAIT!" Karina demanded.

Riko froze mid-way through closing the door because Karina stepped in between her and the door. "Care to explain what happened back there?"

"Not really." Riko replied monotone. She tried to close the door but Karina stayed put. Riko growled quietly. It was taking an effort not to bare her teeth again.

"And there you go growling again. What's up with you?" Karina asked.

Riko quickly stopped and went wide-eyed. "W-What're you talking about?"

"You're different and you keep to yourself because of it. I can tell. I've lived in this town my whole life. I know its secrets. So tell me, what secret are you hiding?"

Riko almost stopped breathing. No one knew about the wolf pack. Not even the elders who had lived in this town for their whole lives. Karina had to be bluffing.

Riko mockingly chuckled. "Do you know how crazy you sound right now? Look, I have to go. My brother is waiting for me to pick him up."

 _'_ _Push her away, Riko. She can't find out.'_ She told herself, as much as it pained her.

"I know you have a crush on me." Karina stated out of nowhere.

Riko froze. In panic, she pushed Karina out of the way so she could close the door. Karina yelled at her as she started the engine and spun off.

But Riko knew this was just the beginning of a wild ride.

The next day in class, Riko pretended to be asleep as everyone was taking their seats. Suddenly someone slammed their hands on her desk, jolting her 'awake'.

"Did you think you could hide from me?" Karina asked angrily.

Riko gaped like a fish with no reply. Karina sighed and roughly ran a hand through her tangled hair. "I didn't mean to upset you yesterday, but damn it you can't just run away like that."

 _'_ _That's what I do best.'_ Riko thought to herself.

"Look, let me make it up to you. After school I'll treat you to ice cream." Karina said.

Riko gasped and sputtered for a minute. "I-uh-yeah! Yeah, sounds good! Oh but I'll have my brother with me…"

Karina smiled at her and ruffled her hair. "Well bring him with you, duh. I don't mind."

Riko blushed deeply and just nodded in reply. Karina smiled and finally sat down. Mitch frowned at her and then looked back at Riko with a deep scowl. Riko held an emotionless face until he turned back around.

* * *

Riko gasped as she was thrown into the brick wall. A callous hand grabbed her shoulder to hold her in place. "You're not going to meet up with Karina today or any other day, understand that?" Mitch growled in her ear. Riko numbly nodded in hopes that he would leave her alone. It was during these times that it was hardest to repress her alpha side. It made her feel weak but she knew it was for the best. What she wasn't expecting was a fist to collide with her face. She cried out and slid to the floor holding her face. Mitch spit at her feet. "Karina will have nothing to do with an outsider like you as long as I have anything to say about it."

* * *

Kohaku quietly stared at his sister. A large bruise was starting to form over the left side of her face. Her clothes and hair were disheveled. A deep frown was displayed on her face. She looked defeated. He broke out of his trance when the truck pulled to a stop outside of their home. He smiled and ran inside.

Riko sighed, not ready to face her parents. She slung her bag over her shoulder and trekked across the yard. Luckily neither of her parents were home yet. She sighed in relief and walked up to her room.

Eventually Korra and Asami made it home. Asami called them down to eat dinner. She heard Kohaku run down the stairs. She sighed, mentally preparing herself. She quietly walked down the stairs.

"I made alfredo noodles. I know how much you all love them. *gasp!*" Asami finally looked up from her rambling.

Riko shook her head and moved to sit down, but Korra stopped her. "What happened to your face?"

"Gee thanks." Riko attempted to joke.

Korra pushed her back a little bit. "I'm not kidding. Answer me."

"A jock got mad at me over something stupid. It's not a big deal. You know I heal fast."

Korra growled. "I know you'll heal fast! But this isn't the first time you've come home with bruises. What the hell is happening at school?"

"Well people don't take kindly to outsiders. I guess in a way they're just like _wolves_." Riko answered.

"What I don't get is why you're not protecting yourself?! You're an alpha! It's in your blood."

"Oh is it in my blood to just attack anyone who doesn't get along with me?! If I did that I'd be sent home every fucking day! I'm doing it to protect the pack!"

"Bullshit." Korra roughly pushed her outside. "C'mon, protect yourself."

"Mom, stop. This is different, you know that." Riko pleaded. "I can't go into wolf-form at school! Or do you want me to expose us?!"

Korra growled and shoved her again. Riko growled back and, finally having enough of everything, shifted. Korra shifted along with her and a fight started. Gnarls and growls erupted.

Asami ran outside after them. "Stop it, Korra! What're you doing?! You know she's right!"

Neither of the large wolves seemed to be listening though and continued biting and clawing each other. Korra finally landed a hard swipe across her snout, throwing her into the ground. Everyone paused. Riko laid flat on the ground, whimpering in defeat. Korra took a step forward, but Asami dashed in front of her and shielded their daughter. "Korra, that's enough. Knock it off."

After a short stare, Korra backed off. She shifted back into human-form and trekked back inside. Asami quickly kneeled next to her daughter and petted her. "Riko, sweetie, please shift back so we can talk this through. I don't know what got into Korra but I want you to know that I'm proud of you for doing well in school."

Riko scuttled closer to her to lay her head in her lap and whimpered. Asami understood that much. Riko was in pain. Whether it was physical or mental was unknown to her. But then she felt something wet slip onto her pants and quickly looked closer. Riko was crying. Crying in wolf-form took a lot of pressure. Now Asami knew something was wrong. However, before Asami could do anything, Riko got up and ran into the woods. "Riko!" She was gone.

Asami stormed into the house. Korra was sitting solemnly at the dining table. Asami slammed her palms onto the table. "What the hell is wrong with you?! She's comes home all bruised up and your first thought is to make it worse?!"

"A-Asami! I know I was wrong! But every time I see her come home with new bruises it makes me so fucking angry. I don't understand why she can't at least defend herself so people will back off. But she just lets people do what they want. It doesn't make any sense! She's an alpha! It shouldn't be a second thought to her!"

"She suppresses her alpha side in school to put up with the bullies. She puts up with it to protect us! To protect you! Is that so hard for you to understand?!"

Korra sighed roughly and slouched back into her seat. The room went quiet for a few minutes. Asami began making plates of food for them.

"So how long am I on the couch for?"

"A week, maybe two depending on how Riko feels when she returns."

* * *

Karina looked back at the empty seat in the back of the classroom. Riko had been missing for three days now without a trace. She sighed and looked forward again. She was really worried about the girl, even if the girl was a loner. Honestly, Karina was probably the only person who was continuously nice to her. Most people picked on her. She glanced to Mitch next to her. He said he didn't know anything when she asked him, but she had a feeling it was partly his fault for Riko's disappearance.

* * *

"Asami, it's been three days."

"Korra, I know but she's gone wild for longer than that. Considering the situation, I am a little worried too, but this isn't abnormal for her. Give her some more time. And if she does come home while I'm at work, do _not_ do anything."

* * *

Karina hopped in her car after a long day of school. She'd been worrying all day about Riko. Even though Riko had gone missing before, it wasn't usually for this long. Maybe it was her own crush on the other girl that was getting to her head. As she drove past the elementary school, she saw Riko's little brother sitting on the curb. She thought about it, then sighed and turned around.

Kohaku rose a brow when he saw one of Riko's classmates pull up to the sidewalk. She rolled the window down and spoke to him. "Hey kid, where's your sister?"

Kohaku pondered it for a minute as he eyed her. "She hasn't been feeling good. She's at home." Well it wasn't a complete lie.

"So who's picking you up?"

Kohaku blinked. "Oh, my mom was supposed to pick me up, but she probably got caught up in her workshop again."

Karina rose a brow. "Sooo you're just going to wait here?"

Kohaku shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much. One of her mechanics usually reminds her around this time to pick me up."

Karina sat with her hands on the steering wheel as she thought. There was something different about this kid, too, but somehow he wasn't like his sister. He had friends and was much more social.

She unlocked the door. "Get in."

Kohaku laughed lightly. "And where are you going to take me?"

"To your mother's shop. I have some questions for her anyway."

Asami heard a car enter the gravel lot and looked up. She didn't have any more repairs scheduled. She glanced at the clock and nearly jumped out of her boots. "Oh no! Kohaku!" She ran outside but froze when she saw Kohaku get out of the car. "Kohaku! I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay, ma. Karina gave me a ride."

Karina? That name sounded familiar. Asami watched as the teenager got out of the car and approached her. "I'm so sorry for the trouble! Thank you for picking Kohaku up!"

Karina laughed. "It's no problem. I know Riko usually picks him up and felt bad when I saw him waiting."

Asami rose a brow. "You know Riko?"

Karina rubbed the back of her head. "Uh, yeah, I'm a classmate. We have a couple classes together."

Asami gasped quietly. "Can I ask you a question?"

Karina paused. "I actually came here to ask you something, but of course, go ahead."

"Is anything happening in school? I mean she came home the other day with a black eye. I know she's a loner but do people really not like her?"

Karina was wide-eyed. "W-What? A black eye? But she was fine the last time I saw her." She paused as a thought hit her. "Mitch…" She growled to herself. Asami gave her a weird look. Karina waved her hands in front of her. "I-I think I know what happened. I was going to treat Riko to ice cream for standing up for me, but she never showed up. I figured she just bailed on me, seeing as she doesn't really get out a lot. But now I think a football player who's been trying to hook up with me saw it as a threat and went after her." Karina sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Is she okay? Can I see her?"

Asami began to sweat. "Uh, she's okay. She's just healing mentally and physically. I think she needs some space right now, but I'll let her know you asked about her."

Karina sighed. "Okay, that's fine. As long as she's okay… Don't worry. I'm going to take care of this issue at school."

Asami nodded and watched Karina drive off. She looked down at her son when she heard his stomach grumble. She giggled and threw him on her shoulders. "C'mon bug, let's go home so I can make dinner."

* * *

Asami carefully peaked inside of the kitchen. It was empty. Riko wasn't home yet. Kohaku ran past her and found Korra asleep on the couch. "Oof!" Korra exclaimed as Kohaku jumped on her stomach. "Hi momma!"

"Hi sweetie." Korra coughed.

Asami leaned on the doorframe with a gentle smile. Korra cautiously smiled back. "So I'm guessing Riko still hasn't returned."

Korra frowned. "No."

"She'll return soon… One of her classmates dropped Kohaku off at the shop and she told me a little bit about what's been happening at school."

Korra sat up with her son in her lap. "A classmate?"

"Yeah, she seemed quite concerned that Riko hasn't been in class. I told her she was fine, but I'm starting to get a little worried."

Korra's nose started twitching and she leaned forward. Asami noticed and watched. "What is it, dear?"

Korra began to stand up after gently pushing her son off of her. "I think that's Riko?"

Asami stood up straight. "Really?!"

They heard the front door slam open and rushed to the front of the house. Asami gasped and ran forward, ambushing her daughter with hugs and kisses. Korra stood astonished. Riko was covered in cuts and bruises. It was obvious she had gotten into a couple scuffles to relieve stress. Her wolf scent hung strong in the air. She was gasping for air, but otherwise letting the omega love on her.

"Riko! Are you okay?! Where have you been?" Asami exclaimed as she pulled away.

"*huff* I'm fine." Riko replied gruffly. Her nose was twitching intensely. Silence stood in the air. Suddenly a thought hit Asami and she smirked.

"Oh, I think I know why you came home. You have a crush on Karina, don't you?"

Riko immediately jumped back and stuttered. "W-What?! I-I don't know what you're talking about! I just smelled her scent and thought maybe she had found me."

"So your first thought was to follow the scent?"

A deep blush began glowing on Riko's face. "I-It's not like that!"

Asami chuckled. "Well I'll have you know she's really worried about you. She came by the shop and asked about you."

Riko looked up in surprise. "Really?"

Asami smiled confidently. "Yep! She even said she was going to help sort things out at school."

"What?!" Riko frowned. "Wait, did she figure out what really happened? Oh no, I can't let her go after Mitch on her own!" Riko began panicking and pacing around the room. "I have to go after her!" She tried to run back outside, but Asami stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"You should at least shower first. Or did you forget you've been in wolf-form in the woods for about 4 days now?"

Riko blinked and looked down at herself. Then she groaned and ran for the bathroom.

* * *

It's Friday night, meaning the high school is having a football game like every Friday. The bleachers were packed to the point that people were standing by the fence. The second half had just started when Riko finally arrived. She cautiously walked down the fence line. Her school was winning at the moment, 35-23, not that she really cared. She carefully looked around, but couldn't find the girl she was looking for. The wind blew and she held her hood in place over her head. Suddenly the crowd cheered as Mitch threw a touchdown pass. Riko scowled and inched away from the crowd.

She wandered around, unable to find Karina. There were too many people to track her scent. Luckily no one had recognized her. She was beginning to grow frustrated as the clock ticked by. She had to find her before the game ended. Who knew what she'd try to do about Mitch over the weekend. She couldn't let her get hurt too.

"Riko?"

She jumped up, looking around for the source. A plaid shirt was making its way through the throng. She instantly recognized it and rushed to meet it. Karina jumped out from between the people and gasped. "Is that you Riko?"

Riko pulled her hood closer. "How'd you know?"

Karina giggled. "I saw a hooded figure walking in circles around the field and figured it was no normal person. I took my chances that it was you."

Riko scoffed. "That could've turned out badly if it wasn't me."

"True, but my gut was right. Anyway, what're you doing here? I heard you weren't feeling well." Karina asked in concern.

Riko looked away. "My mom told me you talked to her. I got worried that you would do something stupid about…him."

Karina rose a brow. "I'm doing something stupid? You're the one who's missed school for the past three days. Do you know how much work you're gonna have to make up?" She took a step closer, but Riko copied her by taking a step back.

"Look, I just came here to make sure you would be safe over the weekend. I don't want you approaching Mitch about anything." Riko said.

Karina laid her hands on her hips. "And so now you think you can control me? I thought you were different."

Riko gasped. "W-What? No! I just don't think I'm worth getting yourself hurt over!"

Their ears began to dull down the surrounding noise. As if in slow-motion, Karina stepped closer to Riko and she didn't back away this time. Riko seemed frozen as the girl slowly removed her hood.

Karina gasped and covered her mouth. Riko was still nursing a black eye from Mitch, but from her escapade in the woods, she also had several cuts across her face.

Karina pulled them away to behind the bleachers where it was more private. "Did he do this to you?"

Riko shook her head. "No, he only gave me the black eye. I got the scratches from, uh, running through the woods to clear my head."

Karina looked at her injuries questionably. "You run through the woods to clear your head?" Riko nodded. "Well at least you do something to clear your head. C'mon, we need to treat you." She then started dragging them out of the stadium.

"What're you talking about?"

"I'm going to patch you up and then we're going to get ice cream like you agreed to the other day."

Riko yelped in panic. "I-I didn't bail on you! Mitch caught me! He said he wouldn't let me anywhere near you."

Karina stopped next to her car and looked at her. "And where are you right now? He doesn't control me or you for that matter." She ushered Riko into the passenger seat and then opened the trunk and fumbled around for something. She finally returned with a first-aid kit.

Riko rose a brow. "You're prepared for anything, aren't you? You really don't have to do this."

"I'm doing this because I want to, not because I feel bad for you… The feelings are mutual."

Riko went wide-eyed at the confession. Karina's face turned deep red. Riko went numb as Karina treated her wounds. She nervously rubbed ointment over her cuts and even placed a bandage on a deep cut across her cheek. She then held her hands anxiously. Riko numbly glanced down to their interlocked hands.

"Is this real?"

Karina chuckled. "It is real, Riko. Now do you want to go get that ice cream?"

A wide smile stretched across her face. "Sure, let's go!"

Karina smiled excitedly and hopped into the driver's seat and drove them to the local parlor.

* * *

The restaurant was completely empty thanks to the football game. Riko cautiously followed behind Karina as she led them to a booth.

"You can pick whatever you want to eat. It doesn't have to be ice cream. It's kinda late and I haven't eaten yet anyway." Karina spoke.

Riko nodded, growing red in the face again. Was this a date? "Um, so what's good here?"

Karina smiled at her. "They have amazing hamburgers and pancakes, so they have options depending on what you're itching for."

Riko looked at her questionably and confused. "So, uh, what're you ordering?"

Karina covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. Riko's nervous behavior was cute in a way to her. "I'm just going to order a burger and fries." Riko looked at her incredulously, making her laugh again. "Yes, I _do_ actually eat, unlike other girls."

Riko began to smile and looked at the menu. "I think I'll just have what you're getting."

Karina smiled and motioned a waiter over to order. The waitress rose a brow at the condition of Riko's face but said nothing about it. When Riko finally took a bite of her food, she gasped. "Woah, this is amazing!"

Karina giggled openly this time. "You don't get out much, do you?"

Riko blushed and smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. "No, I don't. I'm mostly at home when I'm not in school."

Karina pursed her lips in thought. "What do you do at home?"

Riko groaned in her head. ' _Why does she keep trying to dig into my personal life?_ ' "Um, I hang out with my family. Er…"

"And what do you do?" Karina smirked and leaned onto her palm.

"Uhhhh, stuff?" Riko answered.

They had a short stare-off before Karina returned to her meal. "I know you're hiding something. What I don't understand is why?"

Riko narrowed her eyes, deciding to bite the bait. "You wouldn't believe me." She said as a matter-of-factly.

Karina scoffed and rose a brow. "I've lived here my whole life. There isn't anything I don't know. So go ahead and try me."

They eyed each other again for a minute. Then Riko just looked back at her plate. "Maybe another time."

Karina followed her gaze and went wide-eyed. "You're already finished eating?!"

Riko blinked and realized that she had in fact eaten all of her food. She chuckled nervously as she looked up again. "I, uh, may not have eaten a lot in the past few days."

"What? Why?! You can order more if you like."

"I wasn't feeling good."

Karina cut her off. "That's a lie. I know Mitch came after you. So why don't you tell me the whole story while I order your another plate?"

"What? No! I'm fine, really! I don't need more to eat. I don't want to impose on you either."

Karina sighed. "You're not imposing. I told you I wanted to help you, remember?"

Riko pouted and fumbled with the straw of her drink. "I know." She whispered.

There was an awkward silence.

"Can I meet your family?" Karina asked abruptly.

Riko immediately looked up. " _What?_ "

Karina frowned and messed with her fork. "Well it's just, I've met your brother and your mother, but not your father or anyone else for that matter. I'd just like to see where you live."

Riko nervously shuffled in her seat. "I don't think that's a good idea. They don't like unexpected visitors."

Karina scowled and placed her palm on the table. "Then make a plan with them. I'm sure they're not that unreasonable."

Riko began to panic. She was running out of lies. "Look, this is a sensitive subject, so could we just…not?"

Karina slouched back in her seat with her arms crossed. "So that's it."

Riko glanced up with one brow raised. "Huh?"

"It's your family. You're trying to hide your family."

Riko gasped and sat up straight. "No-"

"I still don't understand why, though. The ones I have met seem cool."

"Why do you care?!" Riko shouted, standing up from the booth. "You think you can just dig through my past?! Just because you want to be my friend doesn't mean anything to me!"

She then began marching out of the parlor.

"Riko, wait! I'm sorry!" Karina shouted back, running after her.

Riko suddenly stopped and turned at her. "Why did you even start talking to me?! I'm just a loner that gets beat up every week! I'm a nobody!"

Karina scrunched her face up as she her hands curled into fists. "I don't know! Okay?! For whatever reason, I'm drawn to you. I have been for a while, but Mitch pushes everyone else away from me!"

"Then don't put up with his shit! I can't always be there to protect you!"

"I don't need you to protect me!" Karina stomped up to Riko and grabbed her face. "I just need you with me."

Time froze. Riko couldn't fathom what was taking place. Karina's lips were on hers. Did she realize what she was doing? Because Riko couldn't.

They might've stay connected all night on the sidewalk, but someone had to ruin it.

"Hey mutt. Looks like I get to beat the crap out of you again."

Riko and Karina quickly parted. Riko's heart was racing. Mitch was approaching them. He looked like he had showered after the game and had on his letter jacket on over his daily clothes.

"I thought I told you to stay away from Karina. I guess mutts don't listen very well."

Riko was scared, but she was growing more pissed with every second. She hated being called a mutt. It was what everyone called her when she first joined the Avatar pack. Her alpha side was roaring to come out to shut his trap. She grimaced from trying to contain herself, but Karina read it as fear. Karina stepped in front of her to protect her.

"Mitch, this is nonsense. You don't own me! I can do as I please, even if that means spending time with Riko."

Mitch chuckled. His hands were tucked into his pockets with his thumbs hanging out. "Oh is that her name? I didn't think she had one."

Riko growled. Karina was now pushing Mitch away. "I've had enough of your bullshit! Just leave us alone!"

Mitch really wasn't a man for words, because the next thing Riko knew is that she had the quarterback pinned to a wall and Karina was slouched on the ground holding her cheek. Rage boiled over in Riko. She felt her wolf clawing at her and felt a shift happening.

Karina's cheek stung and it was already turning red. Mitch didn't have a chance to hit her again when Riko tackled him. She'd never seen someone so determined to protect. It was almost a welcoming feeling. But then the air became heavy.

Riko suddenly let go of the football player and stepped back while clutching her arms. "Karina, let's go, _now._ "

Karina knew the change in attitude wasn't meant to be controlling but that's how it sounded. "Riko, what's wrong?"

Any reply was cut off when Mitch punched her. Riko slammed heavily onto the concrete.

"Riko!"

"The mutt's gonna learn her role." Mitch growled as he approached her again.

Riko leaned up on her elbows with her back to them. Karina was stilling yelling at him, but he was determined too.

"My role?" A growl reverberated from Riko. The other two immediately went quiet. "That's funny, because you have no idea what role I play." Karina's eyes widened as she witnessed the other girl's transformation. She heard the legends from the elders, just like everyone else in this town, but she never thought they would be real.

Riko barred her teeth at her enemy. Mitch seemed frozen. He became a stuttering mess. "You're a monster! No wonder you're a loner!"

Riko ran after him with her padded paws and tackled him. She pretended to take menacing bites at him. Of course he panicked and tried to push her off of him. Mitch got a few solid punches in before completely throwing her off. Riko may be in wolf form, but she knew not to injure him. Her presence alone should be enough to scare him away.

She was right. As soon as he was back on his feet, he ran away and hopped into his truck. Riko hung her head scared to look at the other girl. Karina was still in shock and frozen to the ground. Riko was about to run away when she heard an engine roar to life. She quickly looked up and saw bright lights headed her way. She contemplated just letting it happen. It would be so much easier for everyone around her. No one would have to worry about letting her family's secret out. No one would probably believe them anyway.

However, someone jumped in front of her. She looked up and saw Karina shielding her. Inside she was panicking. There was no time to think it through. She dashed in front of Karina, half-shifting in mid-sprint.

"NO!" Both Karina and Riko screamed.

Riko had shifted back enough to use her arms to stop the truck. She didn't have the strength to stop it immediately and so it hit her hard in the stomach. She dug her feet into the ground, leaving two deep trenches. The truck screeched to a halt just mere inches away from Karina.

Karina's surprise never left her since this whole incident happened. Mitch was just as appalled and sat dumbfounded in his truck. Riko grimaced as she pulled herself out of the crumpled metal of the hood and sat on the curb. She was still in half-form, waiting to see what Mitch's next move would be. Apparently he had given up because he backed up the truck and drove away fast.

Riko gasped for air and clutched to her sides. She was in a lot of pain after taking that hit.

Karina stood still for a few minutes to digest what just happened. Then she cautiously stepped up to the wolf-girl. "Riko?"

She almost couldn't hear it because she was so quiet. She looked back and Karina was shakily standing behind her. She tiredly smirked. "I could use some more treatment."

Karina finally let a small smile grace her features and she hesitantly kneeled down next to her. Her body was riddled with more bruises and scratches and had some deep cuts along her stomach. Karina could tell because blood was seeping through her shirt. "You need to go to the hospital."

Riko scoffed and looked off into the sky. "And what am I gonna tell them exactly? Oh I'm a werewolf and I got hit by a truck. Yeah I'm sure they'll take that well. I don't need to go. We heal fast and there's a healer back home."

Karina quietly scanned her injuries. She sighed roughly. "If you say so. I'll help you get home."

Riko rose a brow as Karina began hauling one of her arms over her shoulder. "You're not freaked out? I mean you should be running like Mitch is right now."

Karina chuckled sarcastically. "I am scared, but that doesn't change how I feel about you. We'll talk later. Let's just focus on getting you home."

The words died out of Riko's mouth and she let the other girl carry her to her car. "I'm going to get blood on your seats."

"I don't care right now. Get in!"

Karina finally got her buckled in the car and began driving. "Okay, give me directions! Which way?"

Riko hesitated but gave in. "Go past the school and take the road on the right."

Karina followed her directions until she told her to stop. She rose a brow. They were at Asami's workshop. "Riko, I swear if you're playing games right now it's not funny. You need medical attention."

Riko waved her off. "I'm not playing games, but you can't just drive into the pack land. They'd be all over you. C'mon." She then got out of the car.

Karina followed her but froze. Riko had shifted back into her wolf form. "Riko! What're you doing?"

Riko was limping on one paw but still staring right at her. She motioned with her head to get on her back. It took a minute for Karina to understand and when she did understand she didn't like it. "Riko, I can't get on your back. You're too hurt."

Riko snorted and tucked herself underneath the girl. Karina yelped as Riko forced her onto her back and began running through the woods.

It scared her at first, but then it was quite thrilling. The forestry flashed before her eyes at such a fast rate that she couldn't comprehend everything she was seeing. She let out a chuckle and held tighter to the wolf. "Now I know why running through the woods clears your head!"

Riko let out a huff that acted as a chuckle.

They were almost to the pack land but Riko was tiring fast. Her running had slowed down to a cautious walk. Karina had gotten off of her back awhile back and laid a hand on her back to rub her fur.

Suddenly Riko let out a whimper and crouched down to the ground. "Riko, what is it? You can make it."

Then they heard something else shuffling through the woods. Karina gasped and hugged Riko. The wolf grunted and lifted her head to see who was coming. She recognized the scent and quickly stood in front of Karina to shield her.

A large grey wolf appeared out of nowhere. Karina noticed the size difference between it and Riko. She fisted Riko's brown fur as the alpha stood to protect her. The grey wolf huffed and flared its nose. Riko responded with a growl but also lowered her head. Karina suddenly realized that she could possibly be killed by Riko's "family".

The two wolves seemed to have a quick argument filled with grunts and growls. Suddenly the grey wolf shifted and now there stood a short, tan woman with short hair. The woman ran towards the brown wolf and grabbed the sides of her face. "Damn it Riko! I don't care about that right now! Just shift back already, you idiot!"

Riko hung her head and started shifting back to human form right in front of them. Karina gasped as the fur escaped her hands.

The pain hit Riko full force when she finished shifting. She fell into the woman's arms, writhing in pain. "Don't kill her!"

Karina and the woman stared at each other. The tan woman then looked back at Riko. "I won't do that dear. She helped you get back home to us." The woman wasted no time in hauling Riko into her arms and started running. "C'mon girl! You don't wanna get lost out here!"

Hope began to creep into Karina's chest. She quickly ran after them.

* * *

"'Sami! Is Kya here yet?!" Korra announced as she barged into the cabin with her daughter in her arms.

"Yeah, in here! I called her as soon as you left! How is she?" Asami asked.

"It's kinda bad."

"Lay her on the couch, Korra. I need to get started." Kya ordered.

Everything happened so quickly to Karina. Apparently the woman who met up with them was Korra. And Kya is the healer? Yep, that's definitely some blue magic coming out of her hands. Asami was here. So they must be part of her family, though she's not sure exactly how they're all related.

Asami dragged Karina out of the living room and into the kitchen. "I know all of this is probably really shocking right now, but I need you to tell me what happened. I know Riko went after you to make sure you were safe."

Karina shook her head a bit. "Oh, umm, uh, Mitch, he found us. We were at the family restaurant and he saw us…" She decided to leave the part where they kissed out. "He got mad and they started fighting… She turned into a giant wolf. Mitch ran away but he got in his truck and hit her with it."

Asami gasped. "She got hit by a truck?!"

Karina had to replay in her head for a few seconds. "She changed back and tried to stop it with her arms, but it was going too fast and hit her in the stomach and drug her down."

"Okay, okay! Thanks!" Asami seemed to be panicking too and ran back into the other room to share the new information.

Karina waited in the kitchen. Even when she heard Riko's cries of pain and wanted to run in there to hold her, she stayed put. This was literally new territory.

After an hour or so, Riko's whimpers disappeared. Karina picked her head up off of the table and saw Korra carrying the girl upstairs. Asami came into the kitchen and sat down next to her. She dug her hands into her hair in nervousness. Someone peeked around the staircase and ran up onto Asami's lap. The woman laughed and hugged her son tight. He looked over and smiled at Karina. "Hi Karina."

Karina smiled softly at him. "Hi Kohaku."

"What're you still doing up, bug? I put you in bed over an hour ago."

Kohaku pouted up at his mother. "I went to bed early and you know it. Besides I knew something had happened to Riko. I wanted to make sure she was okay."

Asami tickled the boy's sides. "Well that was awfully nice of you. You're such a good brother. Did you see her on your way down?"

"Yeah, but she'll heal. She always heals."

Asami glanced up at Karina. "Karina, are you okay? How are you handling this?"

"I think I'm doing better than expected. Honestly I'm not all that surprised. I knew Riko was hiding something. I just didn't realize how big it was."

Asami nodded. "She's been hiding it for a long time now, to protect us. I'm not sure how Korra's going to handle this."

"Who is Korra anyway? How's she related to Riko?" Karina asked.

Asami blinked, then laughed. "Riko didn't tell you? Korra's her mother and the alpha of our pack."

Karina scooted back quickly. "Mother? But you're…"

"I'm her mother too. We're not her real parents. We simply took her in as our own when she was abandoned."

Karina's eyes widened a bit. "Abandoned? What do you mean? Who abandons a wolf-kid?"

Asami's smile disappeared. "Her parents were rouges, meaning that they didn't belong to any pack. They were on the run and couldn't take care of Riko, so they abandoned her in town. They hoped that because our pack was close that we'd find her and kill her, because rouge wolves are almost always killed upon finding. But I wouldn't let Korra do it. And that's basically how we took her in."

Tears were brimming Karina's eyes. "That's horrible! I can't believe she was left to die…"

"She's been through some pretty tough times, but she's a survivor."

Steps could be heard coming down the stairs. Korra and Kya spoke together quietly and then entered the kitchen.

"She's pretty beat up, but I think she'll heal just like every other time. You know the drill by now don't you, Asami?" Kya said.

Asami chuckled. "Yeah I do. Thanks Kya."

Kya waved her hand as she walked out. "It's no problem. I'll be back in a few days."

The room went silent again. Korra sat down across from Karina. The girl's heart was beating as fast as a herd of elephants. Korra sighed. "I'm going to keep my word. I won't kill you." Karina let out a sigh of relief she didn't know she was holding. " _But_ , you cannot tell anyone about this, about us! Is that understood?"

"Of course! I'd never do such a thing!" Karina exclaimed.

Korra chuckled. "Good, 'cause if you do I won't have a choice about killing you."

"Korra!" Asami scolded.

"What?! It's true! The pack would be in an uproar."

"It's okay. You have nothing to worry about. I promise." Karina smiled sincerely.

* * *

Her vision was blurry went she came to the next morning. She recognized the fuzzy sheets of her bed underneath her. She looked around. A shadow stood in the windowsill, blocking the sun from reaching her. She groaned and rolled over onto her side to see it better.

The shadow whipped around. "Riko! You're awake?!"

"Karina?" Riko whispered in return.

Karina rushed to the girl's side. "How do you feel? W-Wait here! I'll go find Asami!"

Riko quickly grabbed her hand before she ran off. Karina froze and glanced back at her. The werewolf smiled weakly. "Thank you."

Karina softly smiled in return. Then she leaned forward and carefully pressed her lips to hers. Riko leaned into the girl's touch and pressed forward to meet her. They pulled away and stared into each other's eyes. Then Karina quickly backed up off of her in embarrassment.

"I-I'll, um, I'll go get Asami!"

Riko chuckled as Karina rushed away. As silence took place, she began to hear a commotion outside. She rose a brow and cautiously crawled out of bed. Her breath hitched when she saw members of her pack standing angrily outside of their cabin.

 _'_ _That's what Karina was looking at. Oh no.'_

"How did this happen?" "You can't let her live!" "It's go against our oldest laws!" "This wouldn't have happened if we never took in that mutt!"

Korra's fists tightened as she fought to control her anger. The pack was in a rage, even under the promise that Karina wouldn't expose them.

"I understand your frustration but the girl has promised to keep it a secret!" Korra hollered to the group. But they roared back even louder.

Karina and Asami watched from the kitchen window. "They're gonna kill me, aren't they?"

Asami shook her head. "No they won't. Korra and Riko won't allow that."

Just then they heard something stumble down the stairs. Both women turned around and gasped. "Riko!"

Karina rushed forward to help her walk. "You should be in bed!"

Riko breathed heavily and pressed her hand into her side. "Not when you're in danger." She then proceeded towards the front door.

Asami jumped in front of her. "You're not going out there. You're in bad condition and they'll destroy you. Korra can handle it. She always does."

Riko shakily took a breath and prepared to back off due to Asami's silent order. However, then the pack began to uproar again outside and Riko couldn't stand by quietly.

* * *

The front door slammed open and Korra jumped to look behind her. She had told them to stay inside. She gasped when she saw her daughter and ran to aid her. "Riko, what're you doing?" Korra whisper-yelled. "You can't be out here right now. The pack is unstable."

"I'm putting them in their place." Riko growled lowly.

When the crowd saw her, they went rampant. "What're you doing out here, mutt?!" "Only you would get beaten by a human!" "What a loser!"

Something struck Riko's heart. Would she ever be really accepted anywhere? She's been tossed around her whole life. The only people who truly care for her were her mothers and little brother, but even Korra had her moments still.

Riko hung her head as the wolves kept throwing mean remarks at her. Korra gripped her shoulder and proceeded to yell at them. Tenzin had saw the mob forming and hurried to Korra's side.

"Korra, we have to get this under control."

"I know Tenzin but they won't listen."

Tenzin then started trying calming the crowd down in his own peaceful ways, but the wolves continued throwing words right back at them.

"Shut up!" Everyone went quiet and looked to the youngest alpha. Riko slowly stepped forward. "Korra has already stated this, but I'll repeat it. The girl will not expose us! She's my friend. I'll take responsibility for her. And if for some reason she does tell someone, I'll take care of it."

Everyone just stared at her for a minute before a single wolf commented. "If she tells anyone, we'll be the ones who will take of it."

Korra growled at him, but waited to see what her daughter would do. Riko eyed the young man who spoke up, but then quickly walked up to him and punched him in the face, knocking him out.

"Do you think this is some sort of negotiation?! No! I promised I would take care of this and that's final. I do not take orders from you!" Riko yelled for the whole pack to hear.

Everyone gasped and went wide-eyed. Korra slowly smiled as Riko finally embraced her role.

Riko continued on. "For those of you who have forgotten, I'm an alpha! I give orders, not take them! So right now I'm commanding everyone to return to their homes and let Korra handle this like the _alpha_ she is!"

Members of the pack slowly backed off and walked away. Riko's exuberance hung high in the air. They stood there until every last wolf left. Korra quietly approached her daughter from behind and placed a hand on her shoulder. "That was impressive, kid. I'm proud of you." Korra said.

"Good job, Riko. That was quite amazing for such a young wolf." Tenzin commented.

Riko tiredly looked back. "Thanks guys. I don't know where it came from."

"It came from inside of you, where the alpha part of you lives." Korra said, turning her around and placed a hand over her heart. "And it came out more than you think."

Riko rose a brow at the sight of Korra's smirk. "Huh?"

Then Korra playfully flicked her ears. "You still need practice."

Riko jumped in alarm and grabbed at her wolf ears that had appeared. She reached behind and felt her tail. "Gah! What?!" She twirled around, trying to see her tail. She saw something by the window and blushed. Karina and Asami were giggling behind the kitchen window. Riko's blush deepened and she hastily covered her wolf ears.

* * *

"I think it's cute."

"Cute?! I'm not cute! I'm a monster, literally!"

Karina was badgering Riko while her mother treated her wounds. Her ears and tail still protruded from her, but she didn't have the energy to undo it. "I'm a ferocious beast! Ow!"

Asami had ripped off one of the bandages on her stomach. "Yeah, a ferocious beast, totally…" She whispered mockingly.

Riko pouted and winced as she rubbed salve over her wounds.

"Hey, look at me. So I can distract you from the pain." Karina said.

Riko confusingly looked up. "How's that?"

Asami rose a brow as she listened to them. 'Distraction' had a different meaning in her mind, but the two had only been talking for a week now.

"Umm, I just want to say that it was really brave of you to stand up to the pack. You really showed them whose boss. I've never seen anything like it in you."

"Yeah well, I'm a different person at school. I push the alpha side of me away so I won't hurt anyone."

Karina smiled and rubbed the werewolf's cheek. "That's so courageous of you. I didn't know you were an alpha either. You haven't really explained pack terminology yet."

Riko perked up. "Oh yeah! I can do that now! So…"

And so Riko spent the rest of the morning explaining how the pack works, going on even after Asami was finished treating her wounds.

Riko had just finished explaining the basics and sleep was catching up to her. Suddenly a thought hit her. "Won't your parents be worried about you missing since last night?"

Karina jumped up. "Oh no! I totally forgot! I need to go check in with grandpa. To answer your question, I don't live with my parents. They moved a few years ago, but I wanted to stay here so I moved in with my grandpa. And I sure am glad I didn't leave." Riko blushed again and Karina giggled, but then she paused. "How am I gonna get home? Surely you can't carry me back to my car."

Riko frowned and thought for a minute. "Um… Maybe Asami can take you. I heard her say something about picking up some materials from the workshop anyway."

The werewolf pushed herself off of the couch. Karina was surprised that she wasn't wincing when she walked anymore. The girl really did heal fast.

"Mom! Can you drop Karina off when you swing by the workshop later?" Riko asked when she found her mother in the kitchen.

"Huh? Oh of course! But won't you stay for lunch?" Asami asked as Karina walked in after Riko.

Karina smiled. "Sure thing."

* * *

Riko sat in her truck in nervousness. It was Monday and she was back at school. She really didn't want to be here, but she had already missed a lot of school lately. She shakily breathed in and out, trying to gain some composure before walking into hell.

Suddenly a knock came on her window, starting her. She jumped up, but paused and pressed her hand to her heart in relief. She opened the door. "Damn Karina, you 'bout gave me a heart attack."

Karina giggled and began pulling her out of the truck. "Sorry. I was waiting for you at the end of the parking lot but you were just sitting here. I figured you might've needed some encouragement."

She pressed her lips to Riko's before the girl had a chance to respond. She hastily pulled away and gently grabbed her hand. "Am I coming on too strong?"

After shaking the shock off of her, she laughed. "No, not at all. Maybe I needed it after all."

Karina smiled and started dragging her inside, and Riko let her. The human led her to the cafeteria, where the normal kids met up before class. Riko pouted and hid behind Karina. She didn't usually hang out in the cafeteria because of the bullies, so meeting Karina's friends here made her nervous.

"Now I think you're coming on too strong." Riko quietly joked.  
Karina smiled back at her, trying to encourage her to socialize. Riko gulped and hesitantly stepped up beside Karina. The human girl gripped her hand tight and her friends smiled brightly at them. Come to think of it, Riko couldn't remember any of these girls ever bullying her. Maybe this wasn't so bad.

Karina pulled her closer to her ever so slightly. "Girls, this is Riko…" She cautiously glanced to the werewolf. "My girlfriend."

Riko felt her heart jump in excitement and smiled brighter than ever before. Karina saw this and returned the joyful smile. Her friends awed and began introducing themselves.

Soon the bell rang, signaling first class. Karina happy walked with Riko hand-in-hand to their first class. Many of the students were filing in at the same time and went wide-eyed at the sight of them together, but none said anything.

Eventually, Mitch dragged his feet into class. His head was down, but he looked up when he heard hushed murmurs throughout the room. His heart nearly stopped, but not in anger, but in fear.

Karina was in her normal seat, but Riko was sitting on top of Mitch's desk, staking her new claim. The message was loud and clear even to a human. He carefully walked down a different row to find a new seat. Suddenly whoops and hollers erupted throughout the classroom. He looked over and a cold chill took over him.

Riko slid off of her new seat and hastily pushed Karina onto the steel bar of her seat as she pressed their lips together. Karina closed her eyes in ecstasy and grabbed Riko's collar, pulling her closer.

"Okay that's enough!" The teacher yelled as he entered the room. Riko and Karina quickly broke apart and both blushed slightly. "It seems our loner is finally coming out of her shell. Thank you for joining us today, Ms. Sato, now can you and your 'friend' please take a seat."

Karina chuckled and pushed Riko back. The werewolf looked to the back of the room. The only seat left in the room for Mitch to take was her old desk and he clearly hated the thought of it. She smirked at him and couldn't help but to bare her teeth at him a little. He gasped and quickly sat down. Riko chuckled and hopped into his old seat. She looked over and saw Karina glancing at her lovingly while she got her supplies out. Riko smiled at her and started doing the same.

 _'_ _I should've done this a long time ago.'_


	8. Chapter 8 Nightmares

Asami felt Korra twist and turn late one night. She urged herself to sit up and hold the Avatar closer to her. She knew Korra was still mentally damaged from her fight with Zaheer so many years ago, but her nightmares had been flaring up much more often as of late. The past few nights Asami was able to calm the girl without waking her up by rubbing her head as she laid with her. However, tonight didn't seem like that.

Asami felt Korra tense up dangerously in her arms. She sighed, knowing Korra was likely reliving old memories. Her worry grew when she heard Korra groan in pain. She gently grabbed her sweating body. "Korra, sweetie wake up. It's just a dream." Korra couldn't hear her, though.

* * *

Korra looked back and forth between her enemies. All four of them surrounded her in the dungeon. She tried moving but found herself chained to the wall.

"I'm so glad you all could join us in watching the destruction of the Avatar." Zaheer stated, then glared at her. Korra eagerly returned the gesture.

Kuvira stepped up. "Are you sure this will work?"

Zaheer laughed. "Of course it will work. We just have to time it right so she can't use the Avatar state against us."

"Let's get started then." Amon said. Unalaq agreed and brought up the bowl of poison.

At this point Korra was already panicking. She saw Kuvira get in place to administer the poison.

"No, don't do this Kuvira! Why are you working with them?!" Korra pleaded but it was like Kuvira hadn't heard any of it.

Korra gasped when the first bits of poison pierced her skin. She willed herself not to go into the Avatar state, but she could feel herself falling in and out of consciousness.

"Korra!" A distant voice called out for her, but it was enough for her to recognize.

"Asami?" Korra immediately fought back the draining effects. Was Asami in danger? What was she doing here? Korra pulled on the chains again, but found her strength fading fast. No, if Asami was in danger then she was going to protect her!

Her eyes flickered for a brief second and she yanked the first chain out of the wall. "Get her before she's out!" Zaheer demanded. But Korra turned it off as quickly as it had happened and the incoming elements froze before hitting here. She gasped for air as she eyed the icicle that almost sliced into her a few feet away.

Suddenly there was a loud electric shock and the ice fell to the ground. She tiredly looked up and saw blue electric knocking out Amon and Unalaq. She met the piercing green eyes of her girlfriend. "No, Asami get out of here." She pleaded, but her voice was losing power too.

Zaheer and Kuvira turned to attack her. Korra's eyes flickered again as they fought. Kuvira turned when she felt the pressure in the air rising but it was too late. Korra swung the chain and threw Zaheer into the cave wall. Kuvira tried bending to poison in her body, causing Korra to freeze. Kuvira smirked while Korra glared at her with white eyes. She made a move to kill the Avatar, but then another electric shock rattled the room and knocked Kuvira out.

Asami appeared and caught Korra as she fell. "Korra! I've got you. You're okay." But Korra couldn't hear her. "Korra please wake up!"

* * *

"Korra, please wake up!" Asami pleaded. Just then Korra jumped up and huddled against the headboard. Asami saw the look of fear on her face and quickly comforted her. "Korra, it's okay. I'm right here. I've got you."

Korra's temperature had spiked and she was now gasping for breath. Asami hurried to fill a bowl with water and return with a cloth to wash her sweating face. Korra grimaced at the touch at first but then soon found relief in it. Asami worried rubbed her cheek.

Tears fell from Korra's eyes and she suddenly hugged Asami tight. Asami blinked at first but then returned the hug with equal power. "It's alright, sweetie. It's just a dream. They can't get you anymore."


	9. Chapter 9 What is Love

**Korra and Asami's first time... (Not explicit)**

* * *

Korra sighed happily as she finally crawled into bed after a long day of council meetings. Asami leaned over sleepily and helped her out of her shirt. Korra smiled tiredly and met lips with the CEO over her shoulder. Asami effortlessly pulled the Avatar on top of her.

Korra hesitantly pulled away and rested her forehead on the other. "I didn't think you'd still be awake."

"I always try to wait for you, hun."

"And I'm stubborn." Korra chuckled to herself and softly kissed her again.

Asami smiled and laid both of her hands on Korra's cheeks as she deepened the kiss. Korra thought nothing of it and continued kissing her girlfriend. Slowly Asami's hands wandered down from her face to her bare torso and lingered below her chest bindings. Korra tensed up and cautiously wrapped her fingers around one of Asami's wrists.

"S-Sami. I-I…" Korra gasped for air.

Asami removed her hands and placed them on Korra's biceps. "Korra, it's okay if you're not ready for this, but I do think we're ready to take the next step together."

Korra's eyes wavered and she looked away. Asami sighed sadly. She knew of Korra's anxiety. Hell, it had taken weeks before Korra even sat next to her in bed. The battle of Republic City was over two years ago, meaning they had been (steadily) dating for two years now.

Asami sighed and began to roll back over onto her side, but Korra stopped her. She blinked and gasped when Korra decided to kiss her again. She abruptly pulled away with another gasp. "K-Korra, sweetie, are you sure?"

Korra gulped and grabbed her hand. "You always seem to know when we're ready to take the next step. I trust you. So yeah, we can try. I-I've just never done anything like this before."

"I know, hun. I haven't either. We'll figure it out together, okay?"

Korra smiled hesitantly and nodded. Asami smiled back at her and proceeded to take off her nightgown. Korra's breath got caught in her throat and she shakily inhaled to calm herself. Asami felt her tense up again and gently rubbed her arms to soothe her. They stayed seated like this for a few minutes for Korra to calm down.

Secretly, Asami loved that she was allowed to see Korra's other side, the side that is caring and deeply loving, that is humble, that shows her insecurities, that makes her human. And it's all saved for Asami.

Asami was brought out of her thoughts when she felt Korra's forehead connect with hers. She felt something drip onto her cheek and went wide-eyed. "Korra, what's wrong?! We can slow down."

Korra humorlessly laughed and shook her head. "No, it's not that. I just don't know what I did to deserve you. I don't feel like I do deserve your love."

Asami scowled and grabbed her chin. She expected to see anxiety in Korra's eyes, but she only saw sincerity. Asami frowned and lessened her grip. "Do you honestly think that?"

Korra just nodded her head and sat back on her haunches. Asami sat up with her and hugged her. More tears began falling down Korra's face and Asami wiped off every single one of them while she held her cheeks. "Korra, you do deserve this. You deserve anything you want. No, not because you're the Avatar. Do you think I fell in love with the Avatar? No, I fell in love with Korra the hyperactive water-tribe girl. Even if you weren't the Avatar, I believe you'd still be the fun-loving, caring, rambunctious girl I met five years ago. And I don't know where I'd be without you."

Korra looked up amongst her tears to look at her girlfriend. Asami smiled gently at her and kissed her forehead. "I love you Korra. I'd do anything for you. You mean the world to me."

A hiccup escaped Korra and she desperately hugged Asami back. "I love you too Asami! I really do want this! I just feel like you deserve more!"

Asami chuckled and shook her head. She kissed Korra on the lips this time, causing the girl to look up at her. "Korra, I only want you. There will never be anyone else who makes me feel this way."

Asami comforted Korra while she let out her tears and worries. Eventually they separated. Korra sniffled and rubbed her eyes, then she chuckled tearfully. "I probably ruined the mood, didn't I?"

Asami laughed and pulled the girl down with her. "Only if you don't want to continue."

"I didn't ruin the mood?" Korra asked in surprise.

Asami kissed her again and then spoke up. "Korra, this is what love is all about. And most people don't understand this still, so don't think you don't understand it just because you were secluded. But love is about being able to talk things through with each other at any time, even in the middle of making out. A couple needs to be able to communicate their needs with one another. I'm here for you and I know you're here for me too. So to answer your question, no, you didn't ruin the mood. But if you don't want to continue that is more than fine with me, dear."

Korra had a surprised expression on her face and a few tears slipped by again. She let out a groan and rubbed away the tears in a hurry. Asami just rubbed her shoulder.

Korra smiled cheekily at her. "No no, I'm fine! We can continue, that is if you want to."

Asami smiled and kissed her forcefully. Korra moaned and kissed back with equal force. They continued to kiss for a few minutes before Asami impatiently pulled away just to begin planting kisses on her neck.

Korra gasped, but she had no idea what to do with her hands. She just planted her hands in the mattress until Asami grabbed them and dragged them over her bare torso. Korra gulped, making Asami smirk. It was at this moment that Korra realized that Asami didn't have a bra on. She immediately turned red and pressed her palms into Asami's waist.

Asami felt Korra get warmer and couldn't help but to chuckle under her breath. She then skillfully dragged her nails down her back, making Korra loudly groan. Asami then pulled away from her neck and moved towards her ear. "If you want to stop at any point, just tell me okay?"

Korra could only nod, not trusting her voice. Asami's smooth voice was such a turn-on when she used it like this. However, a single thought grew in Korra's mind. 'Just what I am supposed to do?!'

Asami noticed Korra had tensed up again, even though they hadn't progressed much. She looked up and met Korra's pleading gaze. Asami sighed inwardly, understanding the unspoken question. She then rolled them over so that Korra was on her back now. Korra looked up eagerly with this new position, happy that Asami had understood her. Of course Asami did, she was a genius after all, especially in understanding her girlfriend.

Asami crawled towards her and pressed herself closer to Korra's ever-warming body. She saw her girlfriend visibly gulp and cheered in victory on the inside. She tossed her curly hair over her shoulder as she sat in Korra's lap. She slowly leaned down and simply kissed Korra on the neck a couple times. She then rested her forehead on Korra's forehead and whispered to her.

"Just follow my lead, okay?"


	10. Ch 10 Surviving Death: Zombie AU Part 1

Korra hustled to chop down the forestry. The Sun was going down. They had to find a place to stay before night fell. Staying out after dark was a death sentence. Footsteps followed behind her, careful to follow her steps so as to make less sounds. The woman looked behind her to make sure her teenage daughter was keeping up. Even if the girl was a star athlete and was capable of defending herself, she still grew nervous. The girl pulled out a map. "I think we're headed for that town nearby. We can stay there for the night, maybe a few days if we're lucky."

"We'll have to wait and see, kiddo."

Riko nodded. Of course that was protocol. What if the town was overrun by walkers? Or, sometimes worse, people?

They continued their trek towards an unknown town when they heard a gunshot. Both instantly froze. They waited to see if anything would appear out of the forest. Suddenly another gunshot. Riko grabbed her mother's arm and marched back in the right direction. "C'mon, we're not sticking around for this."

"No, we have to check it out at least." Korra argued.

Riko groaned. Why did Korra insist on trying to help everyone they met? Most of the time, it didn't turn out well! And it's a waste of precious bullets! But Riko couldn't argue with her mother, not just because she's her superior, but because the woman had already run off in the other direction. Riko quickly followed after Korra so to not to lose her, _again._

* * *

Asami sweated bullets as the horde grew closer. She was down to the last of her ammo and had virtually no other weapons. She had to think smart. Three bullets left. Not enough to put a dent into the group of walkers. Damn it. Even if someone was passing by, no one would be dumb enough to help her. A single person stuck with over a dozen walkers. It's not worth it.

However, luck was on her side today.

A shot rang in the distance, then another, and just like that, half of the zombies were down. Asami gasped and looked around, but whoever it is was must've been hiding in the shadows for safety. She furrowed her brow in thought again. Someone was deciding to help her, but was it still worth her last bullets? She quickly came up with a plan and waited until two zombies got too close to her to shoot her last bullets. And just like that, all of the zombies were taken out. Asami blinked. Did she hear two different guns? She waited until her rescuers appeared and boy was she shocked.

A tan woman emerged from tree line, gun in hand. Another, younger, girl stepped out hesitantly, constantly taking in her surroundings, and also with a gun. Both were very muscular and Asami knew she couldn't take them both on. She had saved one last bullet in case. But she had to internally appreciate the older girl's beauty.

Korra was shocked at how beautiful this woman was. She was glad she decided to save her. Riko followed her out, always eyeing her environment, and ended the few walkers that were still crawling about on the ground.

Korra cautiously walked up to her, raising her hands in the air to show mercy. Still, Asami glared at them. "I didn't need saving."

Korra instantly rose a brow and smirked. "Oh really? 'Cause it looked like you were running out of bullets."

Simultaneously, Asami pointed her gun at the woman. "Still think I'm out of bullets?"

Korra just continued to smirk. However, Riko countered her move and came behind the paler woman and pointed her gun at her just the same. "I don't think that'd be smart, pretty lady."

 _And this is why people weren't always the best things to find in this world anymore._

"I'm not gonna shoot her, kid. That'd be stupid, especially since she just saved me." Asami replied, lowering her gun. Riko copied her. The trio stood there in silent for a few minutes. Then Asami reached her hand out. "My name's Asami. Thank you both for helping me."

Korra smiled brightly, like she had just met her new best friend, and they shook hands. "I'm Korra! That's my daughter Riko."

Asami looked behind her to see Riko casually raising her hand in a greeting. Daughter, huh? Asami wouldn't have guessed. They didn't look very much alike, besides their clothing and physique. "Is it just you two?"

Riko started pacing around to check the area, making Korra's smile disappear. "Yeah, it's just us two. What about you?"

"Well right now it's just me obviously."

Riko froze from behind her mother. "Seriously? There's no way a pretty lady like you survived by yourself."

"Why's that? Because I'm pretty? I'll have you know I'm trained in martial-arts and know my way around machinery."

Riko blinked, apparently impressed, but both of the girls smiled. "Martial-arts? Funny, because we're MMA fighters, or formerly at least." Korra said, scratching her neck.

"Wow, small world after all. But you're right. I haven't been alone entirely. I got separated from my son a few days ago and I've been looking for him. Do you think you can help me?" Asami replied.

Riko felt her heart drop. She couldn't let another person go through the heartbreak of losing a child. "How old is he?"

"He's 15, capable of surviving on his own for a while." Asami answered immediately. Riko grit her teeth. The boy was possibly still alive. Riko glanced to her mother. She knew Korra was thinking the same thing as her, but decisions were always left to Korra. Her mother saw her face and knew what she was thinking.

"We'll help you. So what happened?" Korra said.

Asami beamed. "Thank you so much!"

"Don't thank us yet." Riko mumbled. Korra glanced at her and knew she was having flashbacks.

"Actually we should probably find shelter for the night. There's a town nearby that we're headed to, you can join us. Once we find a safe place you can tell us whatever you want." Korra commanded. Asami agreed and the trio started trekking through the woods once again.

* * *

Riko peered into what seemed like a decent house through the front window. She nodded to her mother, who then proceeded to knock loudly on the door. They waited to see if anything would make noises to signal creatures inside. A single walker slammed into the front door, making Korra back off. She motioned to her daughter and together they busted in and took down the one walker. Asami peered into the darkening horizon from the porch for a moment. Her son was out there, she just knew it.

The group checked the rest of the house together and found a bit of food. Riko went wide-eyed when she grabbed the can of ravioli. She quickly turned it over, but it had no easy rip-off lid. "Ma, gimme the can opener!"

Korra glanced over and laughed when she saw that her daughter had found her new favorite food since the apocalypse. She rummaged through her backpack and threw the can-opener to the teenager. Asami watched as the girl hastened to open it and threw open all of the drawers to find a spoon and devoured its content in just one minute.

"Dang, how long as it been since you two have eaten?" Asami asked. However, Korra didn't answer her. Asami looked over to see her engrossed in a can of peaches. "I'm guessing a while."

"It's been a few days." Korra mumbled through her chewing. "We ran out of food some time ago."

Asami thought for a minute, but decided to put her pride aside. "I have some food if you want."

"No!" Korra coughed out, choking for a second. "No, *cough* it's your food, so you keep it. You should save some for your son anyway."

Asami rose a brow. "What? You go by finders-keepers?"

Korra chuckled and sat down her empty can. "Sort of. Until we trust each other enough to stick together, we let our guests keep their own food."

Asami's was surprised and dropped her arms. She looked to the teen, who just smiled at her. Maybe it was the ravioli that made her much happier. Still, Asami couldn't believe the hospitality of these people. Most of the time when you come across humans, you instantly share everything you have with them, and it's not by choice. This mother and daughter pair, they truly were human. Asami suddenly wrapped her arms around Korra in a hug. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me." Korra just smiled and returned the gesture. Riko smirked in her corner, having a feeling that this bonding could lead to something great. Just as long as they could find her son.

They found some blankets and pillows and set up a sleeping area on the living room floor. During that, Riko looked outside to make sure no walkers were around before sliding the couch against the front door. She then went to the back door and propped a chair against it. Asami watched as Riko carefully inspected every entrance to make sure the place was secure, but she didn't question it. Some people were just naturally more paranoid. Eventually the girl settled down enough to sit on the couch. Korra leaned on the side of the couch. Asami realized that they were waiting to hear her story.

"Oh, okay we're talking now. Okay, well my son's name is Kohaku. He kinda looks like me but a lot shorter. A few days ago, he snuck into a gas station while I went to find a bathroom and when I came out, there were a whole slew of walkers in the lot that appeared out of nowhere! He ran out of the station, firing a few rounds before he realized how many of them they were. Most of them surrounded me, so I yelled at him to run. He hesitated, but did as I asked. I carefully used a few rounds to make an escape, but we ended up on opposite sides of the horde. He's a good kid…"

Riko frowned. At least Kohaku had a chance, unlike… She shook her head of her thoughts and looked to the woman. "We'll find him, Asami."

Asami looked up expectantly. "She's right. I believe we'll find him." Korra added reassuringly.

A tear dropped from her eye. "Thank you both."

* * *

"I'll take the first watch." Asami volunteered. She had noticed Korra only set up two beds, so she assumed they used the turn system.

Korra chuckled. "No, it's okay Asami. Riko's got it covered."

Asami rose a brow and looked to the girl who was sitting against the center wall and crossing her arms. "She's going to sleep, right? Like we'll take turns."

"Actually she doesn't sleep much. So she covers most nights by herself." Korra whispered after pulling the woman down beside her in the makeshift beds, even though Riko was close enough to still hear everything.

"What do you mean? There's no way anyone just doesn't sleep." Asami whispered back.

"Asami, we haven't told you our story yet, remember? It's late, so we'll save it for another time. But she's been through a lot. She couldn't sleep much before this world went to shit, but now sleep is almost nonexistent for her." Korra replied, glancing over to her daughter sadly. Riko pretended not to notice their whispering. "She'll be fine." She reassured Asami.

Asami sighed after watching the teen for a few seconds. "Alright. I trust you."

Korra blinked in surprise. That was not a statement you just threw out there. That could only mean their guest really did trust them.

* * *

When Asami woke up early the next morning, she saw Riko still sitting against the wall with a new can of food, as if she hadn't just stayed up the entire night. The Sun pierced the curtains, shining in on Korra's face. The girl twitched around, trying to shield her eyes. That was when Asami noticed that Korra had her legs thrown over hers and was turned around in a completely different manner than when they went to sleep.

Riko just smirked to herself when she saw Asami finally notice the position Korra was in. The woman's face flushed red when she heard the young girl chuckling. She finished her can and stumbled over to her mother. She then began to poke her forehead with her boot. "Ma, c'mon it's daylight. Get up."

Asami and Riko met eyes when Korra didn't wake. Her daughter sighed and kneeled down. She took a deep breath and then blew a gust of air into Korra's ear. Korra shot up and glared at her daughter, who just shrugged her shoulders. "Gave me no choice. Now get ready. We've got exploring to do."

Asami smiled, glad that they were going to stick to their word. Korra finally stretched out and woke up. They gathered up their bags and headed back out into the crazy world. They first checked the houses immediately around them, finding many more supplies. It was as if this small country town was virtually untouched. They then went farther into town and found a small corner store. The duo went wide-eyed and Asami gasped, tears coming to her eyes. On the brick siding there was a spray-painted tag. 'Mom – 3 days' and then it had two lines underneath it.

"He's here! Somewhere!"

"How do you know it's him?" Korra asked.

Asami chuckled. "That kid is in love with spray paint. It has two lines underneath, so it must mean that he's still here."

"Yeah well we better find him today or it looks like he'll move on." Riko added.

They continued crossing the town, checking houses as they traveled. Riko noticed, under the scorching heat of the sun, a white flag on top of a house in the distance. She looked closer and realized it was just a shirt. That had to mean human life was there, right? She looked towards her mother, who hadn't noticed her daughter stopped walking with them. Korra had a deep blush on her face while Asami spoke about something. She gulped when the taller woman laid her hand on her shoulder affectionately. Riko smirked and whistled to get their attention. The two women looked back. Riko pointed to the house with a shirt-flag on it. Asami's face lit up and just like that they were running in that direction.

Asami quickly approached the steps, but Korra cut her off. "Asami, just because there's a sign of life doesn't mean that it is still here. Protocol still rules."

Asami nodded sadly and let the mother and daughter go up the stairs first. Korra bit her lip. If the boy was here, they didn't want to scare him off. She carefully knocked on the front door.

Riko peered inside. Someone had definitely been here and recent. She saw a shadow move inside and prepared herself. But it disappeared. Her ears unconsciously twitched when something moved in the bushes on the side of the house and instantly rose to point her gun at it. A boy appeared, copying her stance. The two stood there, growling and ready to shoot.

"Kohaku!"

The boy lowered his gun, looking for the woman's voice. "Mom?!"

They were finally reunited and hugged each other tight. Riko tensely lowered her weapon. They watched the reunited family cry happy tears. Riko grimaced and began walking off. Korra sighed as she began following her daughter. "Where are you going?"

They looked back to see Asami had taken a few steps after them.

"You don't need us anymore. You found your son." Korra answered dejectedly.

"I…I…" Asami fumbled with her words. "I was hoping we could stick together, just for a while."

Riko winced. No, no no no. Humans were bad. They couldn't be trusted. You can only think about yourself in this world.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt for now." Korra answered for them. Riko jumped. What the hell was Korra thinking?!

Asami smiled and waved for them to join them inside to see what her son had set up. Kohaku seemed apprehensive and questioned his mother about them. Riko felt the same way, and purposely bumped into her mother on her way to join them. Immediately Korra grabbed her sleeve and stopped her.

"What is the problem?" Korra asked sternly.

"We don't need to stick around here. We have to keep moving, remember? People are bad news anyway."

"Is that what this is about? Not wanting to be around people? Riko, I remember what happened too but we can't survive on our own forever. We'll stick around for a few days and see what happens."

"Oh I can tell you what's gonna happen." Riko mumbled, making Korra smack the back of her head. "Ow! Okay!"

Asami watched them from the porch, seeing that they were arguing. She couldn't blame them, though. You had to be careful around humans anymore. Korra happily joined her on the porch and Riko reluctantly wandered inside to see the house.

Riko had to give the boy credit. He looked pretty great after surviving two days on his own. He was two years younger than her but he had amazing skills. He had stocked up on supplies from the town, ready to take off again if needed. She looked to him across the floor where they were sitting. Both of their mothers had taken to the kitchen and were trying to cook something up and getting to know each other better. They hoped their kids would get along.

"Kohaku right?"

The kid looked up tensely. "Yeah, that's me. And you're Riko."

Riko nodded. "You look like you've done well for yourself."

"Thanks."

Silence… They heard Asami giggle at Korra trying to show off. Riko scoffed and shook her head in annoyance. She knew Korra was getting too attached to this woman. This could mean bad news. "Kids, come grab a plate!" Asami called out.

The two teens cautiously got on their feet, still eyeing each other. They collectively gasped when they saw what the two women had prepared.

Korra and Asami smirked when both of their kids gasped at the dinner. It was probably the most balanced meal any of them had ever had since the world collapsed. Cold easy-cook macaroni. Bread with peanut butter. And a side of canned pineapples.

They dashed towards the counter and grabbed their plates. Luckily Korra had set out some utensils she found because the kids would have likely dug into it without them otherwise. Seeing Riko and even Kohaku dive into the makeshift meal made Korra suddenly feel guilty for the world they had to live in. She looked over and saw a similar expression on Asami's face.

After the filling dinner, the group gathered up blankets and pillows to form a giant bed just like yesterday. "So, uh, Korra, I've told you a bit about us, would you mind sharing some about you two?" Asami carefully asked.

Korra glanced to her daughter. The girl seemed uncaring, but Korra knew it was just a façade. Inside the girl was probably panicking. She hated talking about what happened. Korra released a nervous chuckle. "Well, there's not much to it really. Riko and I have been traveling the countryside since all of this happened."

"Just you two?" Asami asked. She knew Riko's earlier behavior indicated that someone else was with them previously, someone close.

"Uh, well, no, not in the beginning…" Korra replied, lowering her head.

Riko got up and disappeared upstairs. Asami nudged her son to follow her. He reluctantly walked up the stairs.

"Thank you. She can get quite nervous." Korra said.

"It's no problem. I could tell it would be a sensitive subject." Asami replied.  
"It is…" Korra leaned back against the wall. Asami slid down the wall to sit with her. "I had another daughter."

Asami went wide-eyed. She gulped and whispered, "What happened?"

Korra scoffed coldly. "The same thing that happens to everyone…"

Together they sat in silence. They heard something slam into the wall upstairs, but neither of them moved.

* * *

"You gonna talk to me or what?" Kohaku asked coldly.

"What's it to you?" Riko responded just as cold, turning away from the boy.

"Well if we're gonna be a group for now it might be useful so no one does anything stupid."

"It's not permanent, I assure you." Riko growled.

Kohaku rose a brow. "How do you know?"

"I won't let ma make the same mistake again."

"What happened before? You make it sound like you were with a group."

Riko closed her eyes. "We were…"

* * *

Korra grimaced at the memory. "That idiot Tahno… Many of the nights had been quiet at the time, so he thought he could fall asleep on watch duty. Of course, that night, a horde of walkers appeared." Asami carefully listened to Korra's story. "No one knew until it was too late. We heard gunshots and ran out of the house. Walkers had already broken the perimeter. It wasn't the best blockade, but with guards it had been safe enough."

* * *

"I'd have killed Tahno myself if he wasn't already dead." Riko growled, remembering seeing the so-called man be eaten alive.

Kohaku gulped. He hadn't expected such a dreadful story. Riko saw the look on his face and laughed emotionlessly. "Goodness, your face! And I haven't even gotten to the best part!"

Kohaku squinted his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Riko released a shaky breath and ran a hand through her hair. She turned back to face him. "My younger sister was with me." Kohaku's eyes widened. "Ma had ran outside to help shoot the walkers. I grabbed Nami out of bed and threw her on my back. I looked back, thinking it would be the last time I'd see my mother, but it was just the opposite." Riko punched the wall, tears cascading down her face. Kohaku looked at her in a new light of sympathy.

"I took off running through town, but I didn't get far. Somehow walkers had broken in on the backside too. We were pretty much trapped… I had to drop Nami off to grab my gun from my shoulder." Riko hiccupped. "I never should have let her go!"

* * *

Tears streamed down Korra's face, remembering how she found her two daughters. Asami had already brought the woman close in a tight hug. "I heard Riko scream like never before and I instantly ran after them. My kids are my life. Riko probably would have shot me if she hadn't ran out of bullets long beforehand. She just lost control after that."

* * *

Riko sat unemotional on the floor and Kohaku had taken to her side. "I just lost it. I couldn't believe it. How could a walker get so close to us without me knowing it? I only had my back turned for a few seconds… That walker came right up behind us and grabbed Nami. I was too late when I heard her screams for help. I shot the walker dead in its place, but she had already been bit."

* * *

"I heard her fire all of her rounds as I chased after them. I knew something horrible had happened, but I just didn't want to believe it… Nami was curled up on the ground, bleeding from her shoulder. Riko just finished firing her last rounds… She turned to me with a wild look in her eye, ready to fire. She pulled the trigger over and over again, but she was out. She wasn't in her right mind anymore… I forcefully grabbed her by the shoulders, making her drop the gun. 'Snap out of it!' I cried. She seemed to recognize my voice and nodded. I fired at any walker getting close to us. I told her to grab her sister and we just ran away."

"You didn't stick around to help?" Asami asked.

Korra chuckled. "Didn't you hear me? My kids are my life. I knew it wasn't safe there anymore so we took off." She looked over to see Asami's surprised expression. "I guess that might be useful information if you still want us to stay together."

* * *

"You ran?" Kohaku asked, surprised.

"Yeah, well, my head wasn't really clear. I just followed my mother away from there." Riko replied. "We ran all night long. We finally rested the next morning when it seemed safe. Nami was already burning with fever. My shirt was soaked. I carefully sat her down and just cried. Korra stood over us, trying to hide her own tears from me…" Riko paused when more tears clouded her vision. "I still can't believe it happened." She whispered. "I was her big sister. I was supposed to protect her. And I'm the one who got her killed!"

* * *

"She was burning up and just curled in on herself… We couldn't bring ourselves to end it, and we let her turn. I shouldn't have let it progress that far, but then Riko's instincts kicked in and she ended it."

Korra had to stop altogether from crying. Asami let a tear escape at feeling the other woman's anguish. She now understood why they had been so adamant to help her find her son. They knew the heartbreak of losing a child. "I'm so sorry, Korra."

"I shouldn't have let her do it! What teenage girl has to kill her own sister?! But I couldn't handle it. I just hate that she's so much more intuitive in this world than in the old world." Korra cried.

Asami sat with her huddled in her arms. If it was under different circumstances, she'd enjoy this a lot more. She suddenly held Korra up by her cheeks. "Korra, don't think that this makes me think any different of you. I understand, I'd have run away with Kohaku just the same if I was in that situation. Family is the most important thing in this world."

New tears sprung to Korra's eyes and she hurriedly hugged Asami tighter.

"And family doesn't always mean blood-related anymore either." Asami whispered.

Then stomping came running down the stairs. Asami looked up and saw her son looking quite panicked. "Riko! She, uhh…"

Korra jumped up instantly. Asami and Kohaku followed her up. Korra slid on the floor next to her daughter. "Riko! Up and at 'em!" Riko was unresponsive, stuck in her head. Korra growled and pinched her arm. The girl raised her eyes to look at her. "C'mon kid, you need sleep." Riko futilely wrestled against her mother, who simply just tossed her over her shoulder and began back down the stairs.

Sleep? But she had told Asami that she never slept. The former mechanic saw the drastic change in the teenager immediately. It was as if years of not sleeping just ambushed the girl out of nowhere. Dark bags fell from her eyes and she could barely keep her head up.

"Mommmm…" Riko called out weakly. "I'm fine. I don't need sleep."

"Whatever you say." Korra say, ignoring her. She gently laid her down on the makeshift bed. Riko tried sitting up, but Korra pushed her right back down. "Don't bother denying it. You're sleeping tonight."

Riko tried pushing away from her, but she was weak now. Sleep was rapidly gaining on her. She whimpered helplessly and pushed Korra one last time.

"You're lucky were in a house this time." Korra sighed and laid down next to her, wrapping her arms around her. Riko cried into her arms until she passed out at last.

Asami and her son watched from the bottom of the steps the weak fight Riko was putting up. Where had all of her energy gone? Asami quietly walked up to the bed and sat beside them. "What just happened?" She whispered to Korra.

"Let's just say bringing up repressed memories puts her in this state." Korra replied. Now that Riko was asleep, there would be no way to wake her up for a few hours.

"What do you mean?"

Korra sighed. "Both you and I have only discussed what's happened after the apocalypse, not before. We'll talk about all of that later. Maybe if we stick together we'll get to know each other better."

Asami nodded. She knew some of this had started before the end of the world, but what could possibly happen before that that was so horrible? She ached to learn more about their past, but agreed to talk about it more only if they stayed together. After all, it would be pointless if they never saw each other after just two days.

Kohaku cautiously approached them. Asami stood up again and sat against the wall, making Korra raise a brow. "Kohaku and I will do watch duty tonight. I can tell you both haven't had much rest in a long time. You helped me find my son, so this is part of me returning the favor."

Korra smiled and knew better than to argue with the woman. She pulled Riko closer to her and was out like a light.

* * *

Korra began waking up the next morning when the Sun started peaking in through the window and felt something soft land on her forehead momentarily. She didn't have the strength to open her eyes until she heard a quiet giggle above her. She sleepily smiled when she saw a blurry Asami standing above her. She had to be dreaming.

Asami disappeared into the kitchen, wanting to prepare a nice breakfast for everyone. She sighed. Breakfast food was hard to find anymore, and if you did it was spoiled. She rummaged through their supplies, trying to put together something.

Riko slowly woke up, still in her mother's grasp. She carefully sat up and sighed. Damn Korra and her persuasion skills. Riko scoffed at herself. Yeah like she even had any fight in her last night. All Korra had to do was lay her in bed. She didn't know what it was, but something about being with these new people was changing them. Her eyes widened when she smelled food nearby. She pried herself away from Korra and ventured into the kitchen. She smiled when she saw the assortment of foods on the counter. She met eyes with Asami and the woman blushed. Oh yeah, she was hardcore crushing on Korra.

"If you really want to impress her, I'd go with lots of fruit." Riko said.

Asami blinked, then understood what she meant and made changes to the meal. She then paused and looked back to the teenager. "Why are you telling me this? I thought you didn't want us to stay together."

Riko hung her head. "I don't prefer groups, but I know being together is making Korra happy for once. There's not much left in this world, so we might as well find something left to make it enjoyable." She was then tackled into a tight hug by the woman. "Plus, you're not as bad as I thought you were in the beginning."

"Thank you, Riko."

* * *

"You know, this place would be pretty great to stick around in for a while." Riko spoke up. She and Korra were in the local grocery store, scavenging for new supplies that same day. She picked up a few cans and stuffed them in her bag, glancing at her mother.

Korra seemed to be lost in deep thought for a few minutes and Riko thought that maybe she hadn't liked Asami as much as she had everyone thinking and wanted to move on. Then Korra looked up at her and smiled. "You think so too? I thought you wanted to keep moving."

Riko pouted jokingly. "Yeah, I think this is a good place to settle down for now. And Asami and Kohaku are pretty skilled."

Suddenly Korra hugged her. "I love you, Riko. You know that, right?"

Riko gently pushed her away. "Where did all the lovey-dovey crap come from? Is this Asami's doing?" Riko joked, then smiled sweetly. "I know, ma. I love you too. Now let's head back. My bag is pretty much full anyways."

Korra chuckled. "Mine too. Let's go."

Upon exiting, a handful of walkers had appeared outside. Riko smirked and together they took down the zombies with their knives to keep quiet. Then they ran back to their new home.

* * *

"You really want to?!" Asami asked, enthralled.

"Yep. We're cool with chilling here for a while." Korra replied happily, unpacking their goods.

"Riko?" Asami asked.

The girl looked back and blinked. "Um, yeah actually I brought it up. But I think we should fortify the town if we do."

Asami wrapped an arm around both of the girls in a group hug. "This makes me so happy. We can start building up barricades tomorrow!"

Riko chuckled, still stuck in the hug. "Hey!" They all looked over to see Kohaku. "Can I join the group hug?" They all chuckled and moved to allow him in.

This was the start of something beautiful.


	11. Ch 11 Surviving Death: Zombie AU Part 2

"Okay, move it that way!" Asami ordered. Riko and Korra sighed in exasperation and pushed the bus a few more inches over before promptly passing out. Asami sighed. 'They're so dramatic.' They had found this bus abandoned down the road, but it only had enough gas to just arrive short of its destination. 'This will have to do I guess.' Riko and Korra gasped for air on the ground. Kohaku returned with some more supplies. "Thanks dear, do you think you can find more?" The boy nodded and ran off again.

Riko finally got up and stepped back from the partial barricade. She had to hand it to her, Asami was extremely smart. They planned to use the bus as an entrance by using the front door to connect to the outside world and the emergency back door to connect to the town. It was genius, but it meant she and Korra were doing all of the manual labor. There were still other cars and pieces to put together to make it secure. And this was only the first wall. They still needed to build up on the other side of town.

Riko blanched with realization. This was too much work for the four of them. She looked to Asami, who appeared to have come to the same conclusion. She hauled Korra off of the ground and dragged her back to the house. "I need to rethink this through."

Asami wiped her forehead. Her first plan was too big. They'd never finish it by themselves. Even though it was a small town, there were many openings for walkers to get through. She looked at the road their house was on. It was a single, straight road. They could fortify that for starters and branch out with more time. Their main goal should be this road.

Riko watched intriguingly as Asami used chalk to map out the town and her new plans on the pavement. It was different to be with such a smart person for once who knew what she was doing. Korra sat down beside Riko with a can of peaches and together they watched the pale woman formulate new plans.

"I like this idea a lot better." Riko commented. Korra smiled in agreement as Asami showed them what to do next.

"Well this will be easier, especially since Kohaku and I can actually help with this." Asami replied. She held some sticks in her arms and motioned to the pile of branches behind her. "For the time being, we're just going to focus on this stretch of road. Kohaku's gathered up enough branches for us to make our own defensive traps. I've seen it done before and it can work." She then showed them the steps to make the pointed fences to stop walkers in their steps. It took Asami a few times before the duo got it down, but once they did, oh man, they went crazy with it. Before even darkness had fallen, the two had the whole road covered in pointed fence traps.

Asami wandered back to the road to see how they were doing and was in complete shock. "Wow guys, uh, that's incredible. You finished before nighttime." Asami commented. She went over and poked one of the traps. Sure enough, it stayed upright. "I'm impressed."

"We didn't get to the other side of the road, though." Korra pouted.

Asami chuckled. "Korra, I didn't think you'd finished _this_ side of the road today. We can work on the other side together tomorrow. But it's getting dark, so let's head inside."

* * *

Two shadows approached the fences. The two men looked around, noticing how well the area was set up. There were even traps in between the houses. They carefully stepped over the fences and walked closer to what appeared to be the main house.

* * *

Riko growled inwardly as she heard footsteps come up the porch stairs. She slowly got up, grabbing her gun, and quietly approached the window. Asami felt Riko move and woke up. She went wide-eyed when she realized what was happening. She shook the other two awake, but Riko looked ready to take matters into her own hands. Asami recognized the sounds of boots and purposeful walking over the porch. Those weren't walkers. _They were humans._

Riko saw one of the men disappear around the side of the house. She quickly looked to Asami and motioned to the kitchen. Asami nodded and grabbed her gun. Kohaku and Korra were still waking up, but nonetheless they realized they were in danger and kept quiet.

Asami hid behind the kitchen wall, waiting to see if someone would approach the backdoor. The doorknob jiggled.

It was too dark for Riko to see the faces of the men. Suddenly there was a somewhat cheerful knock at the door. She rose a brow, as did Korra and Kohaku. She moved the couch just an inch so that she could peek through without being attacked.

"Hiya, folks! We were wandering around, trying to find a place to stay for the night and we saw your mighty fine establishment!"

Riko went wide-eyed. She knew that voice. "Bolin?!"

The man gasped. "Riko?! Is that you?! Let me in!"

Riko quickly pushed the couch away and opened the door. "Bolin! I can't believe it!"

The man brought her in for a big bear hug. "Riko!" He cried. "I can't believe it either! Who's with you?"

Suddenly Riko gasped and pushed away from the man. "Where's Mako?" She didn't give him a chance to answer and ran to the back of the house. She froze when she saw Asami and Mako pointing their guns at each other. "Mako, you idiot, put your gun down!" Riko called. She didn't know how he got into the house, but right now he was a threat.

The man blinked and looked over. "Riko? What're you doing here?!"

"What do you think, dipshit? We're camping out here."

"We? You're with this woman?" He asked.

"Yes, now put your gun down." Riko growled threateningly.

Mako sighed and lowered his weapon, but Asami didn't. "How do you know this man?"

Riko glanced at her and sighed. "He and his brother were at our old camp…"

Asami gasped and quickly lowered her gun. "Thanks." Mako muttered.

"You mean the one where…?" Asami whispered.

"Yeah, that one…" Riko replied, holding her arm. "Just get in here you idiot and fix the door." She went back to the living room and saw Bolin hugging Korra just the same. Korra smiled happily and let the muscular man swing her around the room. Luckily, Bolin was smart enough to put the couch back in place for her first. "Korra! I can't believe it's you!"

Korra laughed. "I missed you too Bolin."

Asami and Mako followed her into the living room. Mako gasped. "Korra?!"

Bolin glanced over and giddily dropped Korra. She smiled and ran into Mako's arms. "Mako! I can't believe you guys are here!"

Mako chuckled and patted her hair. "It's good to see you too."

Bolin worriedly began looking around the room. "Where's…"

Korra knew what he was going to ask and inwardly thanked him for not finishing his question. She stepped away from Mako and glanced over to Bolin. He looked stricken with grief. Mako gulped and laid a hand on the woman's shoulder. "We can catch up tomorrow. It's late, we should get some sleep."

Korra cleared her throat. "Of course. I'll go find an extra blanket for you guys."

Riko cowered back into her position against the wall. The sooner everyone went back to the bed the better. She couldn't have another night like the one from two days ago.

Asami saw fatigue beginning to set in with the girl and sat down next to her while everyone was settling down. They contently sat together for a few minutes until everyone fell asleep.

"You know, I used to work on cars all of the time." Asami started. Riko glanced up at her. "My dad and I would spend hours in the workshop, tinkering cars, changing parts, doing test runs… Sometimes we would race cars, but he always let me win." Riko chuckled a little bit. "He was the only thing I had left until I had Kohaku. I'm glad he at least got to meet his grandson before he passed on, but at least he didn't have to see this world." Asami sighed. "He was the best father I could have ever asked for."

Riko gulped. "That sounds nice. At least you have good memories of him"

Asami glanced over, not realizing the conversation had taken a turn. She knew she'd probably regret asking. "What about you?"

Riko let out a cold chuckle. "My 'father' abandoned us when he found out that ma was pregnant with Nami. He didn't want me in the first place, but having two children? No, that wasn't the life for him. I was six when he finally left." A tear dripped from her eye and Asami wrapped an arm around her shoulder to comfort her. "He wasn't even a good father. He never came to my games or to school meetings. Korra did everything for us. She's been the best mom ever." She let out a soft chuckle. "One time when I was 8 I fell off of my bike trying to impress my friends. Scrapped my knee up pretty good. I tried to act all tough when I got home, but of course ma saw the blood stains on my clothes and rushed me into the bathroom to get out the first aid kit. I just sat there pouting and hissing while mom cleaned me up. Nami stood outside the door watching in amusement. She had just turned two and was starting to walk pretty good. The next day I showed up at school covered in bandages."

Together they laughed at the cute story. Then Riko bit her lip. "What about Kohaku?"

Asami sighed, understanding what she meant. "His father died in the war overseas when he was just 5."

Riko gulped and grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry, Asami. I shouldn't have asked."

Asami smiled sadly. "It's okay, Riko. We weren't really together anyway. Kohaku only saw him a few times. I had a time where I just wanted to be with someone who cared about me. That just happened to be Kohaku's father. It didn't work out, but I'm so happy that I have Kohaku now."

They both looked over to their group huddled up together in the giant makeshift bed. Riko then smiled. "We're family now."

Both of them looked at each other. Asami smiled brightly and hugged her. Together they stayed up exchanging memories until the Sun began rising.

* * *

Korra woke up when she heard music to her ears. She peeked up from the blankets to where she heard it coming from and smiled. Riko and Asami were laughing and smiling for whatever reason. Korra didn't need a reason though, she just knew that they were getting along. She sleepily crawled over and laid her head in Asami's lap.

Asami's face went red and she looked to the woman's daughter. Riko just laughed and rose a brow. "You two are falling so hard for each other. Don't act like I haven't seen it."

Korra wrapped her arms around Asami's waist. "Mine."

Riko laughed out loud and Asami just grew redder. "Maybe you should be the one to wake her up for now on, Asami. She's seems to respond to you better than me."

Asami sighed and patted Korra's head. "Well if you're really okay with that than maybe I will."

Riko gulped and blushed a little bit. "I mean all of the luck to you then. She can be difficult to wake up."

Asami smirked and her blush let up a bit. "We'll see about that."

Riko abruptly stood up. "Alrighty then I'll just leave you to it then." She began walking over to the boys, but then figured that they had been up half of the night looking for a place to stay and decided to let them sleep in. She went into the kitchen instead and began looking for things to make for breakfast. She wasn't a very good cook, so she grabbed a can of ravioli from the cabinet and wandered back out into the living room. She smirked when she saw that Asami had fallen back asleep cradling Korra. She wished cameras were still around for her to take a picture. It was just so cute. Then she shook her head.

'They ever brilliant Asami fails to wake my mother.' She thought. Then she ever-so quietly moved the couch and sat on the porch to watch the Sun come up while she ate breakfast.

* * *

"Why don't you and Kohaku go back into town to pick up more food?" Korra said to her daughter, who pouted. "C'mon, you know how much those boys can eat."

Riko sighed. "Fine, c'mon Kohaku."

Korra watched the duo slip into town. She then turned back and saw Mako and Bolin investigating the fences. "So what do you think?" She asked.

They turned around with surprise written on their faces. "It's incredible, Korra." Bolin exclaimed.

"Was it Asami's idea?" Mako asked. "Because she seems pretty smart."

Korra chuckled. "Yeah actually she had bigger ideas, but we had to cut back because it was too much for just the four of us."

"Well maybe we can help now that we're here." Bolin said.

"I don't know, Bo. It's gonna take a lot of manpower. We probably need a bigger group first."

Mako scowled. "And you want to make another group after what happened last time?"

Korra frowned. "We'll be smarter this time. Be selective about who we let in. We have to be really careful."

The boys nodded and they walked to the other side of the road where Asami was beginning to assemble more traps. "Thank you for finally joining me." She joked. "I'll show you how to make them."

* * *

"So, uh, Korra, what happened after…?" Bolin started sadly after figuring out how to make the traps.

Korra sighed. "So you noticed… Nami got bit." She said. She bit her lip and continued the fence she was working on. "When we lost the barricade, I heard Riko scream. When I found her, Nami had been bit…" Mako and Bolin hung their heads.

"We're so sorry, Korra." Bolin cried.

Mako paused his work and sat down. "It's been months since that happened. We didn't even know that any of you were alive. We just kept moving."

Korra nodded. "Yeah, that's all Riko and I were doing too."

With Mako and Bolin helping, they finished this side of the road before lunch. The fences connected to two other houses and they put more traps in between them to make the area secure. Their main house was practically in the middle of it. By the time they finished, Riko and Kohaku had returned. They gasped in amazement. Then Riko scowled. "Uh, how are we supposed to get back in?"

Asami laughed. "See that house over there? Go through the back door and out the front door. It'll bring you back here."

The duo nodded and ran in and appeared outside again. "Wow, that's amazing." Riko commented.

They spent the rest of the day finding holes in their fenced in area and killing walkers around the town. Over the next week, they continued to get to know each other better and began placing more traps around town in places that walkers appeared at often.

* * *

One day, Riko went gathering on the far side of town by herself. She was walking from shop to shop when she saw a figure in the distance. At first she thought maybe it was a mirage because it had been really hot out that day. But then the figure kept getting closer and closer until she could make out the face and the clothes they were wearing. Her breath hitched in her throat when she got a clear view of the person.

It was a girl around her age. She was wearing tan pants, combat boots, and leather jacket. Her brown hair was pulled into a ponytail and she had some dirt on her face that was adorable. Riko couldn't take her eyes off of her. Suddenly something waved in front of her vision.

The girl rose a brow when she got a few feet away from Riko and waved her hand in her face. She snapped her fingers and Riko jumped.

"Ah, ah, I'm sorry! Uh…" Riko stuttered.

The girl laughed. "Were you daydreaming or something? I had my gun pointed at you until I realized you weren't even paying attention."

'Oh shit. This girl almost killed me.' Riko thought. Sweat inched down in her face. "Uhh, crap, I'm really sorry. I should've been paying more attention."

"It's okay, I wasn't gonna shoot unless you appeared threatening." The girl smiled and held out her hand. "My name's Karina."

"Riko." was all she could get out of her mouth.

Karina chuckled. "Riko, okay, so what are you doing out here?"

Suddenly Riko's brain began working again. What should she say to her? Could she be trusted to be let into their camp? Riko eyed her intently. She was alone and looked low on supplies, but being able to survive on her own meant she was capable of surviving.

"Are you by yourself?" Riko asked.

"Yes I am. Have been since pretty much the beginning."

Wow, since the beginning? She was definitely a valuable asset then, and Riko wasn't just thinking that because she was cute. "I've got a small camp just down the road. There's just a few of us. I can see if they'll let you in if you want."

Karina smiled. "Really? Goodness, this is just the break I've needed. I won't stay for long if they want! I just need a break."

Riko smiled back. "That should be fine. C'mon, I'll show you to it then."

When they showed up, only Asami was there. They stood outside of the fence and Riko whistled to her. Asami looked up from her schematics and frowned. She walked within a few feet of the fence. "Who are you?"

"Wait, where are the others?" Riko asked.

Asami sighed. "They went to a nearby town to see if they could find anything new. They'll be back soon. Now you, answer my question."

Riko pouted and let Asami do her thing. Karina happily obliged. "My name's Karina. I've been traveling on my own and found Riko here while she was in town. She said that you guys might let me in. Please! I've been on my own for so long. I just need a little break for a few days and then I'll leave!"

Asami appeared to be thinking for a minute. "Alright, show her in Riko." Riko smiled wide and dragged the girl through the house that led to the inside of the area.

"Wow, that's kinda awesome." Karina commented on it.

"Yeah, Asami is like a genius or something." Riko replied. There wasn't much to show her except for where they sleep and the supplied they had in the kitchen. "You get to keep your own food if you have any and we'll still share some."

Karina went wide-eyed. "Are you serious? That's incredibly generous of you."

"Yeah, that's how we run things."

"Have you been doing this for long?"

Riko paused. "Well, no. Actually you're the first person to arrive here that wasn't a part of our original group."

Karina fumbled with her words. "Riko, I… I don't know what to say except that is very kind of you. Thank you so much." Then the girl hugged her tightly.

Riko coughed a little bit, fighting for air. "Y-You're welcome!" They heard footsteps approaching and quickly separated. Riko took a breath. "Okay, just stick with me and let me talk first."

"Riko, you in here? Asami said you needed something?" Korra was cut off when she saw a guest in their home. She tensed up immediately, but Riko was standing in front of her as if to protect her. Hopefully Riko knew what she was doing. "What's going on kid?"

Riko gulped. "This is Karina. We found each other in town earlier and she just needs a place to stay for a few days and then she'll be on her way again." Riko quickly explained.

Korra paused. "Is there anyone else with you?"

"No, I've been on my own for the entire time." Karina said for the third time today.

Inside Riko's head she was pleading for Korra to let her stay. She knew it was her choice that she took her in, but it was ultimately up to Korra to let her stay. 'Please, mom, please…'

Korra looked her daughter in the eye and saw how much she wanted this girl to stay. She sighed. "Fine, Karina, you can stay for a few days."

Karina stepped in front of Riko. "Thank you so much! I promise I won't cause any problems."

* * *

"How'd you really manage to survive on your own for so long?" Riko asked.

Karina chuckled. "Very carefully. Stayed away from people for the most part."

"Yeah, that's what we'd been doing for a while too until we found this town." Riko replied. She grabbed some sticks while Karina tried to get a fire started outside. She had to bite the inside of her cheek at how cute the other girl was. Karina had her tongue partially sticking out in her focus. She looked up when she heard Riko giggle. It was an interesting sound she hadn't heard come from the girl before.

"What?" Karina asked.

"Um…" Riko motioned to her mouth. "Your tongue. It's, uh, it's cute when you get focused."

Karina smirked as she stood up. "I can do a lot of things with my tongue." She whispered and walked her fingers up Riko's chest to her chin. Riko instantly turned deep red. Karina had only been in their camp barely three days, but the two of them were getting too close a little too fast. Karina knew it. Riko knew it, but she was honestly attracted to someone for the first time.

As quick as it happened, Karina walked a few feet away to put some distance between them. Riko gulped and her face began to cool down. She glanced back to the girl who began the fire again. She hesitantly sat across from her on the ground. "Karina, c-can you stay a little longer?"

Karina's face grew somber. "Well, I honestly would love to. Your people have been very kind to me. But you know that's not up to me in the end."

Riko hung her head. "Maybe I can talk to her."

Karina scooted over and placed a hand on her cheek. "Riko, I don't want to force myself on people who don't want me here."

"But you can't leave now, not when we're getting close. I want you here."

Korra watched her daughter and their guest from one of the bedroom windows. She didn't know what to think. The girl had only been here a few days, but she appeared to be a good influence on Riko. Pale arms wrapped around her waist, making Korra relax in the embrace. Faint kisses fell onto her neck. "What do you see?" Asami mumbled.

Korra didn't know whether she was talking about them or the teens. Asami chuckled when she saw Riko and Karina sitting together outside. "Maybe you should let her stay, for good."

Korra sighed blissfully and laid a hand on Asami's cheek behind her. "She has to ask first."

Korra felt the woman smirk into her neck. "You could be doing the same right now." Asami whispered. She chuckled when she saw Korra blush. "But on a serious note, how can we hope to survive in this town without first building up our group?" Asami said. She stepped away from Korra and spun her around to face her.

Korra looked down. "I don't know."

Asami smiled and gently held her face. "That's why you have me now. I can help you when tough decisions arise."

Korra nodded into her palms. "I know. Thank you, Asami."

Asami happily pulled her closer until their noses touched. Korra frantically looked into Asami's calm eyes. "Do you trust me?" Asami whispered.

Korra's breath hitched. "I trust you, Asami."

Asami slowly pressed closer to her until their lips touched. Korra gently brushed her fingers through her long locks of hair. Asami pushed into her until she hit the opposite wall. They continued to make out on the wall until they desperately needed to breathe. Asami stepped back and readjusted herself. "I'm, um, I'll go see what we have to make dinner with."

Korra nodded breathlessly and followed the woman downstairs. She saw something bright in the darkening horizon through the window and looked over. Asami noticed and went to inspect it as well. They both smiled when they saw the teenagers. "You definitely can't let her go now." Asami said from beside her.

With the ignition of the fire at last, it looked like Riko and Karina had a passionate flame erupt in both of them. Karina was surprisingly on top of Riko and the two were kissing deeply. Karina held Riko down by her wrists and straddled her waist.

Korra suddenly smirked and walked away. Asami blinked and followed her. Korra first thought about pouring water on them, but water was too valuable. She ventured around back and found an extra tree branch and dashed back out front with it. Just as Korra was a few feet in reach of them without them noticing, they heard stomping coming towards them. Korra pouted when she heard Mako and Bolin. Instantly Riko and Karina pulled apart, afraid of the boys walking in on them, but they hadn't noticed Korra and Asami. Riko blanched when she saw her mother frozen in the process of poking them with a stick. She scooted away from Karina in panic. "M-Ma! I, uh…"

Korra blinked and then laughed. "Kid, you're fine. I'm not mad."

Riko rose a brow and Karina helped her to her feet. "You're not mad?"

"No I'm not. I can see how much you two like each other." Korra chuckled.

Karina nervously stepped up. "So then…would you agree to let me become a part of your group for good?"

Korra eyed her. This was the first time Karina had seemed nervous the whole time. That just meant that she was more sincere about this than anything else so far. Korra smiled and ruffled the girl's hair. "Sure thing, kid. All you had to do was ask."

Karina smiled brightly and Riko tackled her into a hug before she had a chance to thank Korra. Riko just held onto her tightly as possible, deciding to take things slower now.

* * *

Weeks, months went by. More and more people found their little camp. Tenzin and his wife Pema and their children Jinora and Meelo, the two out of four kids who had survived so long. Lin, the former police officer, along with her sister Su and Su's daughter Opal and twin sons Wing and Wei. Apparently their family was considered small compared to how many of them there used to be. Varrick and Zhu Li, the engineers. And many more people. They were selective about who they let in, but still managed to fill up half of the town. Eventually they had enough people to build up the barricades that Asami had first planned out.

* * *

Things had been calm for a long time now. Not any new people had arrived at their town. Walkers weren't a major problem as they showed up by one's or two's at a time. Barricades had been finished for a long time and a guard list was agreed upon. Things were looking up for them.

Riko was on watch duty on the east entrance. She was frequently on watch duty, seeing as she barely slept. She sat atop the white bus, waiting for the sun to rise. The dark sky slowly turned pink as the sun finally arrived. Riko smiled when the sun decided to show itself at last. She sighed, waiting for the next shift to arrive. They were late sometimes, taking advantage that she never sleeps, but she didn't mind most of the time. Except today she was supposed to go on a run with Korra.

As the Sun made the sky yellow, something appeared in the far distance by the tree line. It was probably just a walker. Riko squinted her eyes. Once she saw what it was, she gasped and stood up, wide awake now. 'No, there's absolutely no way. It can't be him!' Riko gulped. 'What do I do?!'

* * *

Asami felt Korra stirring in her sleep. That usually meant she was close to waking up. Asami had been up for some time now, just watching Korra sleep from her spot on her chest. For the first time in a while, Asami felt happy. She twirled a piece of Korra's short hair and gently kissed her forehead. Korra smiled and snuggled closer to her. They heard someone in the kitchen, but didn't move. It was just Karina getting breakfast ready for Riko when she returned from her night shift. Even though there were plenty of houses for everyone, Karina and Riko decided to stay on the second floor of their house still. Even Mako and Bolin had found their own space to crash. Heck, Bolin even found a girlfriend. He was always showing off his archery skills to Opal.

All of a sudden, a loud shot rang out through the town. Korra instantly jumped away from Asami and ran out the door barefoot. Asami and Karina quickly followed after her.

* * *

Riko continued to shakily point her gun at the man. There was no way that he had found her. It was impossible! He chuckled at Riko's petty shot. "You'd think you had learned to go for the kill when an opportunity arises. You're still too soft." The bald man said.

She heard the racing steps of people coming from behind her. Korra was probably scared to death. But she had to. She had to stop the man from getting any closer.

Korra ran up the brick staircase they had made to climb the bus and grabbed her daughter's outstretched hand. She wanted to tell her to put the gun down, but she saw something she never wanted to see in Riko's eyes again. Pure fear.

Korra didn't bother asking the man for his name. When she finally turned to look at him, she had no doubt. She grabbed Riko's gun from her shaky hands and tensely aimed the gun at the man. "You're not welcomed here."

The man chuckled. "Oh, Korra! You made it too. So what? You made this town your own?"

Asami and Karina caught up to them at last and they both gasped. Riko was still standing, but barely. She was shaking really bad and they could just tell something was very wrong.

Karina ran up and grabbed Riko, gently ushering her to her knees. She saw the man and inwardly growled. Whoever he was, he meant something to Riko and in a bad way. Riko was never like this.

"I've heard good things about this town. Word is beginning to spread about a mysterious town who is careful about who they let in. Now I think I know why." The man said.

Snap! Korra shot at him and was just short of his ear. "Next time I won't miss. Now leave." Korra demanded. "Karina, please get Riko away from here."

Karina nodded and quickly hauled Riko away from there. Asami watched Karina carry the teenager back to the house. She wanted to follow, but she couldn't leave Korra at a standoff with a stranger. She climbed up to the top and stood beside her girlfriend. "Korra, what's going on?"

"Do not let this man inside the camp no matter what." Korra commanded. Asami felt the urgency in her voice and, combined with Riko's reaction, she agreed with Korra. She could ask her about it later, but for now this man was not coming in. Asami rested her hand at her waist where her gun was.

"Please, Korra, I'm Riko's old sensei. You remember me, right?" The man pleaded, but it went unheard.

Korra squeezed the gun harder in her hands. "Zaheer, I remember quite clearly what happened and so does Riko. I'll say it once more, leave now!"

"I see." Zaheer started. "It would appear that you can't forgive someone even in the apocalypse. Don't think you've seen the last of me yet." He then turned tail and headed back in the direction he came from.

Asami saw Korra begin to get shaky too and grabbed her arm. "Korra, are you okay?"

Korra gulped and leaned her head on her shoulder. "Tell everyone that no one enters or leaves this town for a week."

"What?! Why?" Asami asked. "Who was that man?"

Korra shook her head in anguish. "I'll explain it once we're back home. Karina needs to hear this as well."


	12. Ch 12 Surviving Death: Zombie AU Part 3

"Damn Bolin, I'm gonna get mad if he keeps being late." Korra grumbled. Bolin was 'busy' and so he was 30 minutes late to his shift. Korra didn't bother scolding him and paced back home. She needed to see her daughter.

"Shh, shh, it's okay Riko. Korra will be back soon." Karina whispered just as Korra walked in. Karina slipped Riko out of her grasp and handed her off to Korra. The mother softly petted her hair to soothe her. Then she frowned.

"You both want to know what happened, right?" Korra said. Both Karina and Asami nodded. She looked down to her daughter who huddled close to her. Riko was out of it, so Korra figured now might be the best time to talk about it.

"The man's name is Zaheer. In the old world, he was Riko's martial arts teacher. He was a great teacher and she almost looked up to him as a father since her real father left us." Korra sighed. "After we got to know him, I trusted him enough to leave her there to run errands, and he took advantage of it… He tried to rape her. She was only 12!" Tears were streaming down Korra's face. Riko unconsciously held to her tighter.

Asami wrapped her arms around both of them. "We're here for you both Korra. We'll stand by your decisions." Asami gulped. "So, did he…?"

Korra shook her head, brushing the tears off. "No, even though she was young and he was stronger than her, she was still very skilled. She was able to push him off and ran away… She found my car outside the post office and waited for me." Korra left out the part where she saw Riko's clothes torn and had a cut on her arm and panicky drove to the hospital. Police quickly arrested him. He hadn't been seen again until now.

"It's okay, Korra. You have us to help." Asami reassured her. Korra nodded and rested her head on her shoulder. Karina carefully rubbed Riko's back.

Night seemed to fall much quicker that day. Karina nudged the door open with her hip since she was carrying dinner. "Asami made some sort of stew today." Karina said gently. Riko was huddled up in the corner of the bed, reliving today. Could she have done anything differently? Zaheer was right. She was still too soft to kill him.

Karina called her name again and sat the two bowls down. The girl finally acknowledged her when she rested her palm on her cheek. "Hey, stop worrying about it. I'll protect you no matter what. Remember that." Riko solemnly nodded and they started eating.

Riko had eaten half of her stew when she abruptly put it back on the table. Karina frowned and looked back at her. Clearly it was still on her mind. Karina was about to say something, but Riko beat her to it. "I thought it was a test at first…" Riko managed to say. Karina eyes widened when she realized what she was talking about. "Very quickly I figured out that it wasn't, though. He forced me to the ground. I was able to keep him a few feet away for a minute, but he was obviously stronger. It happened so fast, I don't really remember a lot of it… Next thing I knew I was running down the street looking for mom's car. And then I remember being rushed through the ER bay…"

Karina cautiously laid a hand on her shoulder. Riko looked up at her tiredly. "He won't get you again, Riko. I'll make sure of it."

Riko gulped and leaned into Karina's open embrace. "Thank you."

* * *

Riko growled. At least Mako was awake for his shift. But how was she supposed to get out without being caught? She couldn't let anyone know that she was going on a run during the middle of the night, especially since Korra announced that no one was to come or go for a week. She looked around for another place to slip through. Mako seemed to be focused on the outside, so hopefully he wouldn't pay attention to her walking by. She quietly ran across the road and hid behind some bushes. She would have to climb over the barricade, which Mako would likely notice. Then she saw an opening, where the barricade met the house. She would have to address it later, but for now it was her way out. She checked her hip for her weapons, then carefully crawled through and slipped into the woods without being noticed.

The sky was beginning to get lighter, meaning it was close to morning. She'd have to hurry if she wanted to go unnoticed. She followed what seemed like a path until she heard distant talking. She was close. She carefully pulled her gun out when she saw Zaheer with two other people, sitting on a fallen tree. She could hear menace in his voice as he discussed how to take down the town. Just as she aimed, a loud growl erupted from behind her. Her eyes widened when she saw the trio smile darkly. She glanced behind her and saw a large German Shepherd baring his teeth at her.

"Ah, it would seem Duke found our guest of honor." The other man spoke. Zaheer chuckled and the other woman just scowled.

Zaheer stepped up. "I thought you'd be joining us soon. How are things?"

"None of your business." Riko growled, stepping out from the bushes. The dog followed her for every step she took.

"Well I think maybe it is my business since you came looking for me." He responded.

Riko was still pointing her gun at him, but she knew one move and she'd be dead. Some moans started getting closer and the woman unsheathed her sword to take care of the walkers quietly. If Riko shot him, walkers from all directions would head this way. Suddenly a lightbulb went off in her head. That's it, walkers!

Zaheer took another step and Riko steadied her gun. The dog behind her growled louder. She was trapped. Who would be the best to shoot first? Neither of the men brandished a weapon at her. The other man still had his dog though.

Tension grew tenfold in the seconds before the first gunshot. Zaheer realized what was about to happen and reached for his gun. Riko was faster though and shot the other man in the forehead. Zaheer gasped, "Noatak!"

Before anyone had a chance to shoot again, the dog clamped onto Riko's arm. "Gah, damn it!" The dog had a tight grip on her and she would lose blood quickly at this rate. Or Zaheer would kill her first, Riko thought as she saw him aim his gun at her.

Riko dropped to the ground just as he pulled the trigger and dragged the dog down with her. She rolled over and punched it until it let go of her arm. Then she grabbed her knife and killed it.

Walkers could be heard coming. "Kuvira, take care of them and then we're out of here!" Zaheer yelled at the woman. Then he faced Riko again. The teenager stumbled up, woozy from the dog bite. "You're mine this time." Zaheer growled. He ran towards her and went to grab her neck.

Riko chuckled and raised her leg to kick him in the head. "I'm not the same kid as before, you freak."

He rubbed his head, feeling blood beginning to leak. He growled and stood up to face her again, but she was gone. "Damn it! Kuvira, c'mon she's run off!" The woman finished slicing up some walkers and followed after them.

'This was a horrible idea!' Riko screamed in her head over and over again as she ran. She held onto her arm to try to stop the blood flow, but she was still in bad shape. She finally found the road that led to the town and continued running. A bush rattled nearby and Zaheer jumped out. Riko grasped her gun and aimed. This time she finally shot him. Zaheer fell to his knees, clutching his shoulder. Riko inwardly cheered in victory. The chase wasn't over yet, but at least Mako knew they were coming this way now.

* * *

Karina rolled around in bed, reaching for the warmth that was Riko. She woke up when she couldn't find her. She sighed. It wasn't uncommon for Riko to disappear in the early morning, but usually she told her before she left. Something wasn't right. Karina stumbled downstairs to Korra and Asami's "room". She chuckled when she saw Korra resting on Asami's chest, both sound asleep. She felt guilty about waking them and decided to just get dressed and go looking for her girlfriend.

As Karina took a few steps into town, a gunshot could be heard far off into the distance. She paused. It sounded far away, but it still made her nervous since her girlfriend was nowhere to be found. The Sun was just now peaking over the horizon. She started towards the barricade where Mako was guarding this morning.

* * *

Mako heard the gunshot and waited patiently for someone to show up. Usually when a new traveler was headed towards them there were obvious signs such a frantic shooting. However, this was a single shot, which was different. Then he heard another single shot.

* * *

Riko began to panic. Her vision was getting fuzzy from the blood loss and Zaheer was still very close. She blindly shot once more at the man and missed. Just as her hope was being dashed away, she smiled when she finally saw the barricade where Mako was standing guard. "Mako…"

She ran for the barricade and leaned against it to hold herself up. Zaheer was still advancing on her. There was no way for her to get back inside. Mako had to shoot Zaheer, and he couldn't do that if he was running around the back of the bus to open the door. Zaheer would kill her first. She gulped, her strength fading, and slid to the ground.

Mako went wide-eyed. How did Riko get outside?! No matter, he still had to save her. He recognized the man from Korra's description and raised his gun at the intruder. At the same Zaheer aimed his weapon for Riko. "No!" One last shot rang out.

* * *

Korra jumped up, awoken by a gunshot for the second morning in a row. Asami followed after her, both of them barefoot yet again. They weren't aware that Riko had slipped out that night.

* * *

Halfway to the barricade, Karina froze. That gunshot was very much closer now. Her heart began pounding and she took off running.

* * *

Riko gasped for air. Her life just flashed before her eyes. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Something she couldn't do in years took Mako one second. Zaheer lay dead just a few feet away from her with blood pooling around him.

"Riko! You okay?!" Mako called out. Riko barely looked up and nodded. Then someone appeared out of the tree line and she remembered that there was another member to Zaheer's gang. Suddenly, Riko felt herself being picked up and saw her girlfriend out of the corner of her eye.

* * *

Karina dashed to the bus and ran inside, looking around for Riko through the window. She saw Zaheer dead on the street. Her heart dropped. Where was Riko? She inched closer to the window and that's when she saw a shadow leaning against the siding. She gasped and ran to open the front door.

Her girlfriend glanced at her and faintly smiled. Karina sighed. "Damn it, Riko. You had to run off by yourself." Just then another woman appeared. Karina hurried to set Riko on the first step of the bus and then pointed her gun at the woman. "Identify yourself." She demanded.

The woman raised her arms in surrender. "My name is Kuvira. I have no intention to harm you. I just came along with Zaheer because he was an old military buddy. But clearly he's changed since then. I know you don't want me here, so I will be leaving. You won't see any of us ever again." Karina kept her gun pointed until she was sure the woman was gone.

Karina was hauling Riko off over the bus when Korra and Asami showed up. Korra gasped and grabbed Riko's bleeding arm, making her wince. "What happened?!"

"I don't know and we don't have time to discuss it right now! She's need medical attention!" Karina said.

Before Korra could start to panic, Asami stepped up. "Take her back to the house and find that woman we let in three weeks ago. She's a doctor. Go!"

Karina nodded and swooped her girlfriend up in her arms and ran back into town. Korra began following her, but Asami laid a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "What?!"

"We need to stay here to help Mako kill the imminent walkers that are bound to show up anytime now." Asami said calmly. "If you want to keep her safe, help us now and we'll go back as soon as we're done."

Korra growled but agreed and climbed up the bus. Mako scoffed when they finally decided to check on him. "Thanks for joining me girls. As you can see, there's a big group headed this way." In the distance, they could see plenty of walkers down the street. There were already two banging on the side of the bus. Mako grabbed the spear kept for such a thing and stabbed them.

"Just shut up and get rid of them." Korra commanded.

During the hour, the next guard arrived to help and people who had woken up rushed to help them. In the end, about 50 walkers laid dead outside the wall. Mako, Korra, and Asami all sighed in relief as it finally ended. The next guard and a few of the townspeople stayed to make sure it was done, letting Korra finally run home to check on her daughter.

* * *

"This is bad. You're absolutely sure it's not a walker bite?" The woman asked.

Karina quickly nodded. "Yes, we're sure. She said she was attacked by a dog! Now can you please help her?!" She pleaded.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do." The woman said and began touching the wound. Riko hissed in pain and Karina clutched her hand. The woman sighed. "This is going to hurt, dear. Just hold still."

The doctor then proceeded to dab it with alcohol gauze before stitching it up. Nonetheless, Riko screamed. Karina had to cover her mouth so it wouldn't alert more walkers. "Shh, hun, I know it hurts, just hold on." Riko continued to groan into her hand. Tears fell from Karina's eyes from watching her be in pain. "I'm right here, Riko." She cried.

Korra ran across the yard just as the doctor was walking through the front door. She marched up the steps to talk to her. "How is she? How bad was it?" Korra asked impatiently.

"Hello Korra. Your daughter will be fine. It was pretty bad, but she's all patched up now." The woman said, but Korra ran inside after hearing that she was fine. She sighed and was met by Asami.

"Thank you for your help. Korra worries too much."

The doctor wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Well I think she had good reason to be worried this time. Whatever dog did this bit pretty deep. I wasn't sure that I could fix it, but we managed. Oh, and normally I'd tell patients like this to change the bandages several times a day."

Asami scowled. "But we don't have the supplies for that."

"Exactly. So she's gonna have to manage with changing them every other day or so. I'm sure it'll be fine."

Asami nodded. "Again, thank you so much."

The woman waved from behind her as she walked down the steps. "Think of it as my way of thanking you for letting me in." Asami smiled and walked inside.

Karina hugged the sleeping Riko close to her, as if she was trying to protect her. Korra and Asami finally came in and Korra instantly sat beside them and began petting her hair. "She's going to be okay."

Karina nodded. "Yeah, the doc said she'd be fine, given plenty of rest."

Korra couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, well she's not gonna be too happy to hear that I'm taking her off of guard duty for a month."

Karina chuckled. "Yeah, I can just imagine how that's gonna play out."

The family sat there looking over Riko until Asami spoke up. "She needs rest. Can you take her up to bed, Karina?"

"Sure thing."

* * *

Riko groaned as she woke up again. She felt the bed sink in beside her and saw a shadow lean over her. She smiled when she saw the face of her girlfriend. "Hey, beautiful."

Karina smiled and grabbed her hand. "You must've hit your head on your little escapade. How are you feeling?"

Riko sat up and felt pain shoot up her arm. She visibly winced, making Karina's smile disappear. "I'm in some pain, but I'll be alright." She groaned.

Karina then frantically grabbed something on the dresser. "Here, Korra found these on a run the other day." She handed the girl a bottle half-full of pain relievers.

Wait, the other day? Riko rose a brow and looked to her girlfriend. "What do you mean? How long have I been out of it?"

Karina gulped and looked away, hesitant to give her an answer. "You've been asleep for a few days. Korra grew worried more every day and ventured out to look for medicine for you."

"What?!" Riko yelled, tossing the bottle to the bed. She clambered out of bed quickly and stumbled to her knees. Karina caught her and helped steady her on her feet again.

"Riko, you can't just run off again. You need rest. You still have a serious wound." Karina coerced.

Riko pushed away and steadied herself on the wall, determined to find her stubborn mother. Karina sighed and helped her down the stairs. She saw Asami in the kitchen, but Korra was nowhere to be seen. "Where is she?" Riko asked.

Asami jumped in surprise. "Riko?! What are you doing out of bed?! You're hurt still."

"I'm not dead, Asami." Riko growled. "Where's my mom?"

Asami sighed. "She should be returning soon."

Before Riko could retort, the front door opened. Riko growled more. "What is your problem?!"

Korra went wide-eyed when she saw her daughter. "Riko? What are you doing-"

"You think you can run off just because I'm hurt?! Where do you get off doing that?!" Riko demanded.

"Riko, it's not like that."

"Bullshit it's not! You did the same thing with Nami!"

The room went silent. Riko pulled away from Karina after finally grasping her barring and headed outside. Karina followed after her while Asami approached Korra. "What is she talking about?" Asami asked. Korra shook her head sadly.

"Riko? Riko! Stop!" Karina called after her.

Riko stopped her stomping and abruptly faced her. "What?"

"What is going on? You wake up and practically lose your mind?!"

"Mom can't just keep going on a run because of me! I'm not worth her getting herself killed!"

"You know she's capable and she's not going by herself! Mako or Bolin has been going with her! She's just trying to help you."

Riko went silent, hanging her head while she thought. Karina laid a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, Korra is really worried about you, but she's not gonna get herself killed over it. She's knows you're safe here and she's smarter than that. Give her some credit."

Riko sighed and headed back inside, where she could hear Korra crying. She hesitantly opened the door and saw Asami comforting her mother. The older woman shot her a glare, which Riko received shamefully. "I'm sorry."

Korra looked up and hugged the girl. "I'm sorry if you thought I was abandoning you, but that won't happen ever again. I told you that."

Riko pulled away and patted her own cheek. "Do it."

"Riko, those days are behind us."

"No, do it. I deserve it. I went after Zaheer without telling anyone and I got injured, forcing you to put yourself in danger. I was stupid."

"No, I won't."

Asami stepped up. "What are you two talking about?"

Korra sighed, while Riko still kept herself upright. "In the old days, when we used to spar, if one of us did something stupid or disrespectful, that person would get punched. It was a fighting thing, and Riko wouldn't move on without receiving her end of the bargain."

"That's stupid." Karina said, making Riko pout at her.

Asami thought for a minute. "I'll do it."

Everyone gasped and Riko prepared herself, closing her eyes. Asami smirked and winked at Korra. They watched as Asami carefully leaned in and kissed Riko on the cheek.

Riko turned red when she felt something soft on her cheek and opened her eyes to see Asami leaning in front of her. "We don't settle things with fighting, but with love. We've already forgiven you for what you did, dear. Now we're gonna move on together, as a family."

Tears bit the edges of Riko's eyes and she quickly wiped them away. Asami smiled and hugged her. Korra and Karina joined the hug, making more tears come to Riko's eyes.

After two weeks, Riko was finally able to move her arm again and got rid of her makeshift sling. Her wound was still open, but she could at least move it without taking much notice of it anymore.

* * *

One night while Riko was getting ready for bed, Karina put her arms around her to stop from putting on her pajama top. Riko smirked, knowing where this was headed. Karina leaned on her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "I have other plans for us tonight." Shivers ran up her back and she turned around to face her. "But first I have a question. Remember, when you woke up from your injury and had a fight with Korra and wanted her to fulfill her side of your old bargain?" Riko frowned slightly and nodded, unsure of where this was headed. Karina smiled and pulled her closer by her waistband. "Do you think you'd enjoy that in bed?"

Riko went wide-eyed and smirked. "I don't know, let's find out."

Karina quickly planted her lips on hers. Riko moaned and ushered them to the bed. Riko straddled the other's waist and grinded into her, making Karina moan with want. Karina suddenly pulled her closer by her hair. "I need you."

Riko smirked and pushed her into the bed. "Yes ma'am."

Nonetheless, Korra and Asami didn't get much sleep that night. When Riko appeared the next morning covered in scratches and bruises, they knew exactly why they were so loud that night compared to other nights.


	13. Chapter 13 Swapping Clothes

**Things get interesting once Korra is more comfortable about living with Asami.**

* * *

Asami waited patiently on the bed. She sighed as the time passed by. Korra was away on an airbending trip, but she said she would return by tonight. Asami frowned. What if something happened? She could just be caught up in something.

Asami waited another hour in their bedroom. She slouched down and rested her hands on her knees. She was really hoping to surprise Korra tonight. Suddenly she heard the front door open and close and quickly got back into her original position. Her smile grew as she heard footsteps approaching the door.

Korra sighed tiredly as she opened the door to their bedroom. She jumped in surprise when she noticed Asami wasn't asleep, but looked ready to put on a show for her. The CEO was in Korra's old probending uniform top and panties, laying across the bed as if she was expecting the Avatar any minute now. Korra immediately turned as red as a tomato and gulped.

"Don't you want to play?" Asami egged on, motioning her to her with her finger.

"I-I didn't know you still had that." Korra sputtered.

Asami chuckled. Only Korra would say something like that in this situation. "Is that really what you're worried about?"

Korra smiled a tiny bit. "No." Then she followed Asami's order and crawled onto the bed. Asami felt the sensation in her lower stomach grow as Korra crawled towards her like an animal. When the Avatar finally made it to her, Asami crushed her lips onto hers. Korra moaned and pushed them to lay down on the bed. Korra broke away to catch her breath and properly straddled the CEO. "You have no idea how much it turns me on to see you in my uniform." Korra muttered against her lips while taking her own shirt off.

Asami smiled into the next kiss and mumbled between kisses, "I was hoping it would have that effect." Then she moaned as Korra began exploring her body.

"You know I'm starting to get good with this kind of stuff." Korra growled into her ear.

Asami ended up screaming Korra's name throughout the night.

* * *

When Asami woke up, she was sore but she noticed that Korra was missing. She frowned sadly, figuring that the Avatar had gotten called into the city after their wild night. She sighed and carefully made her way to the kitchen. She still had the probending uniform on and figured she'd wear it for now. It was actually quite comforting to wear Korra's clothes sometimes and made her feel safe. She walked into the kitchen and her breath hitched.

Korra smirked at her little victory of surprising her girlfriend the next morning. The CEO cautiously walked up to her. Korra simply handed over a cup of coffee. "Morning 'Sami."

Asami mentally groaned. Korra's morning voice combined with Korra wearing her Future Industries jacket was incredibly sexy. She slowly took the offered cup of coffee and took a sip. It was taking every ounce of her power to not pounce on Korra right then and there.

Korra couldn't help but smile at their predicament. Asami was still in her probending top and Korra was in her work jacket. It seemed ironic to try to pull the same trick Asami did last night, but Korra could tell it was working.

Suddenly Asami set her cup on the counter and grabbed Korra by the collar. She couldn't hold it in any longer. Korra smirked as her girlfriend crushed their lips together again.

Asami breathlessly released her mouth. "You have no idea what you do to me sometimes."

Korra smirked and hugged her closer to her. "Then show me?"

Asami wasted no time and pulled her back in for another forceful kiss. Korra eagerly picked her up and carried her back into the bedroom to continue last night's activities.


	14. Chapter 14 Lost

**Asami has serious doubts lingering in her mind even after everything they've been through...**

* * *

Korra knew something was wrong when she woke up to an empty bed, just like how she fell asleep. Given, Asami is a workaholic, but she always came to bed eventually. Korra shook the sleep out of her system and began the journey around the mansion to find her girlfriend. She first looked in her home office, but she wasn't there. She checked the gym, but she wasn't there. She checked the library, but again she wasn't there. Worry began growing in the pit of her stomach and she ran down the hall that led to the front door. She was going to check the garage before she decided it was okay to lose her mind, but something stopped her when she dashed past the living room. She skidded to a stop and slowly approached the couch.

Asami slept soundly with a thin blanket draped over her. Korra frowned. Why hadn't she just come upstairs to their bed? She carefully nudged her shoulder.

"Hmm? Korra? What're you doing?"

Korra sleepily chuckled. "I came looking for you when I woke up to an empty bed."

Asami slowly sat up and rubbed her head. "I'm sorry, Korra. I just crashed on the couch when I finished in the garage."

Korra still felt that something was wrong in her gut, but she smiled anyway. "It's okay, 'Sami. I'll go make breakfast."

Asami watched her as she walked to the kitchen. When she was finally out of sight, the CEO hung her head. She didn't want to hurt Korra's feelings, but something had been bothering her lately.

Korra hid around the corner and watched as Asami let her sadness show. She frowned and wracked her brain for anything that could've gone wrong lately. She decided to let Asami tell her when she felt like it and continued to the kitchen.

Asami picked around her plate once it was set in front of her. Korra watched nervously as she barely took a bite. "Asami, are you feeling alright?"

Asami barely looked up at her. "Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind."

"You sure? I'm here for you if you wanna talk about it."

"I know Korra, I'll talk about it when I'm ready."

Korra looked down at her empty plate. "I know…"

* * *

For the next several days, it was almost like Asami was avoiding Korra. The Avatar noticed it was more than just being busy with work. Asami was purposely busying herself with other things, like reading, working out, and working excessively in her garage.

One night, Korra stayed up to see if Asami would come to bed. It was after midnight when she finally heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Korra quickly turned over in bed to act like she was asleep. The door opened and a shadow loomed over the bed.

Asami sighed. Korra was asleep. Of course, she was, she's a busy Avatar. She had probably tried to stay up, though, like she had so many nights before. Asami wanted to crawl into bed with her and forget all about her problems, but something held her back. A single tear dripped down her cheek as she turned away. "I'm sorry, Korra."

Once the door was shut, Korra opened her eyes wide. She quickly sat up and stared at the door. What in the world was going on? What did Asami have to be sorry about?

* * *

Asami woke up to loud grunts coming from down the hall. She wandered out the spare bedroom she had slept in last night and searched for the source of the noise. She stopped outside of their home gym when she heard a loud roar from inside. She inched the door open to see what the commotion was all about. She gasped in surprise when she saw Korra beating the hell out of a punching bag. A few more punches and the sandbag flew right off of its hinges. "Gah! What did I do wrong?!" Korra yelled.

"Korra?"

The Avatar quickly spun around and nervously faced her girlfriend. "A-Asami?! Hey! How did you sleep?"

Asami rose a brow and crossed her arms. "Um, I slept fine. What's going on in here? Are you okay?"

Korra seemed to deflate at her response. "Um, just relieving some stress. Maybe you should join me."

Asami was about to approach her sweaty girlfriend until she heard the rest of her reply. "Why should I join you? I mean, I know I do sometimes but you wouldn't have said it if you didn't think I needed it." She waited for an answer, but got none. Korra simply turned away and sat on a bench. "C'mon, I'm waiting, Korra. What's on your mind?"

"If you're too busy to hear me out maybe it's not worth it." Korra said sullenly.

Asami sighed and sat down with her. "Of course I have time to hear you out. Where is this coming from?!"

Korra stood strong on her two bare feet. "I should be asking you! You've been avoiding me for days now and I don't know what I did wrong! So tell me!"

Asami gasped and was taken back. "Korra… I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be like this. There's just-"

"A lot on your mind, I know. So talk to me about it, please. Can't you see it's hurting us?" Korra asked calmly this time, spreading her arms and showing her palms.

Asami stood up and hugged herself. "I might as well just say it…"

Korra waited a minute for her to continue. "Then just say it."

Asami released a shaky breath before trying to look back up. "I think we should break up."

Korra's mind went blank. She tensed up and froze. Her mouth was dry, but her eyes were getting watery. She gulped. "Why?"

"I… I don't think I can give you everything you deserve."

Korra laughed sarcastically. "No, that's not it, I know it. Try again."

Asami sighed. Of course Korra wouldn't buy that lie. "Fine. We're both too busy and we don't get to spend a lot of time together."

Again Korra cut her off. "You could easily fix that problem by coming out of your garage. So I'm not buying this one either. You got another one?"

Asami frowned and uncrossed her arms. "Korra, I'm not playing games with you."

"I'm not either! I want the real reason!" Korra demanded, pointing her finger to the ground.

Asami sighed. She would have to tell the truth and she knew Korra wouldn't handle it very well. But Korra started rambling again. "Are you cheating on me? I didn't think you'd do that but who knows since you won't talk to me. Do you not love me anymore? Is it that simple? I bet it's something I'm doing. I am a fucking mental case."

"Korra, shut up!" Asami yelled.

Korra blinked. The room went silent except for Asami's raging gasps for air. "It's none of those things, you idiot…"

"Then tell me so I stop making crazy stories in my head…" Korra pleaded.

Asami gulped. "I'm afraid of losing you, too."

The room went quiet again as Korra processed the new info. "What?"

Asami sighed and started pacing the room. "I'm afraid of losing you! Like my mother and father! Everyone who's ever been an important part of my life leaves in the end! It's like I'm cursed or something! I don't want that to be you too. I'm trying to protect you, Korra."

Korra watched confusingly as tears appeared in Asami's eyes. She moved closer to hug her. "Asami…"

But Asami pushed her away. "You should just leave. I don't want to drag you down any more than I have. Just go."

"Asami, I'm not going anywhere. I don't care about some stupid curse on you. I love you with everything I have."

"Korra, just leave!"

"Can we talk about this some more?! Have you even thought this through?!"

"Of course I have! Why else would I have been keeping myself busy?! It's to keep those thoughts at bay but I can't stop thinking about it because I don't want to hurt you!"

Korra froze. Asami began pushing her out. "W-Wait, Asami!"

"Please, Korra, this is for the best!"

"Okay, now I know you aren't thinking right because this definitely is not the best for either of us!"

They continued arguing until they had reached the front door. Asami tried to push her again but Korra grabbed onto the doorframe. Asami growled out her name. Finally growing tired of fighting with her, she maneuvered her foot so that Korra lost her balance. The Avatar went flying through the door which promptly slammed afterwards.

Tears quickly overtook her vision and she stared at the door. "Asami…"

Korra was sitting there so long that Naga ventured from the backyard to the front porch. She nestled her wet nose against her master's cheek. Korra let out a tear-filled laugh. "C'mon girl, let's go."

Bare-foot, in a sports bra and basketball shorts and still sweaty, she began running down the street. The sky grew dark and soon her feet pattered against wet concrete.

* * *

A tired knock interrupted the boys' dinner. Bolin looked up from his noodles questionably. "Are you expecting anyone, bro?"

Mako scoffed. "No, of course I'm not. Who would I invite-" His question was answered when he opened the door. "Korra!"

Bolin stood up with noodles hanging from his mouth. "Korra?!"

Mako studied her form and quickly realized something was wrong. "Korra, what're you doing here? Did something happen?"

She gasped for air and looked between the two brothers. She wanted a hug or some sort of comfort, but suddenly felt like she shouldn't be here asking them for comfort. She fell to her knees and covered her eyes as she started bawling. "Korra!" Both men cried out. Mako instantly picked her back up and carried her to the couch. Bolin shut the door after a wet Naga followed them in.

The boys waited for her to calm down again before asking her anything. Bolin went to the kitchen to make hot chocolate while Mako tried to soothe her. They still were deeply confused as to what would make Korra so upset.

Suddenly it hit Mako like a freight train as Korra calmed down and sipped her drink. She thanked Bolin for it when she could finally talk again. Mako cleared his throat and took a deep breath. He really hoped he was wrong. "Is this about Asami?"

The tears easily reappeared and Korra started crying again. She flung herself into his arms and hugged him tight. Bolin gaped at the notion that Asami had caused this. Mako frowned as his best friend hung onto him for dear life.

"I don't know what happened, Korra, but you can stay here for as long as you need to." Mako said as he rubbed her back.

* * *

Asami couldn't concentrate on her work. She kept thinking about how heartbroken Korra had looked when she threw her out of her house. But it was for the best, at least that's what she told herself. Suddenly her intercom beeped. "Ms. Sato, someone is here to see you. Are you expecting anyone?"

"No, I'm not. Tell them to come back later. I'm busy."

"I'm sorry ma'am but-"

The door to her office was then thrown open and in walked a very angry firebender. Asami's eyes went wide. "Mako! What're you doing here?"

He kept walking until he was able to slam his hands on the desk. "Asami, I still don't know what happened because she won't talk, but you need to fix whatever happened between you and Korra. She's a fucking wreck right now."

Asami gaped at him. "W-What?! How do you know?"

Mako interrupted her. "She came to my apartment last night fucking drenched from running all of the way from your house. She just kept crying all night long and we couldn't get her to talk. Did you throw her out of your house?"

"I broke up with her, but she wouldn't listen and I had to push her out of my house, yes."

Now Mako gaped. "What? Why would you break up with her?! Everything was going great for you two."

Asami sighed and sat back down. "That's exactly why I had to cut it off. Everyone who gets close to me gets hurt."

Mako frowned knowingly. "This is about your father, isn't it?"

* * *

Bolin slowly woke up. He looked up and saw credits rolling on the television. "Huh, I must've fallen asleep. How was the movie, Korra?"

But when he looked over, Korra wasn't there. "Korra?" He called. He got up and began searching the apartment. "Korra, c'mon, this isn't funny!"

He stood in the middle of the silent apartment. He growled and dropped his head in his hands. "How did I lose the Avatar in just an hour?!"

* * *

Asami sullenly drove home as she thought about the conversation with Mako earlier. Maybe he was right. Asami wasn't cursed. It seemed kind of silly once he said it aloud. Of course she wasn't cursed. Things just happen sometimes. However, she was drawn out of her thoughts when she saw a shadowy lump on her front porch. Her heart raced and she quickly parked the car. It was pouring outside; in fact it had been raining since Korra left. She hurried to get out of the rain and ran to the porch. Her breath hitched when she made it. "Korra!"

She kneeled down next to the Avatar and felt her neck. She was breathing fine, but if she was sitting out in this weather for too long she would get sick. "Korra, get up!"

One after the other, Korra opened each eye. Asami gulped. Dark bags hung under the Avatar's eyes, showing how drained she was just after 24 hours. "Heh, hey 'Sami. Can I come back in now?"

Asami scoffed and helped her walk inside to the couch. "Korra, what were you thinking?! You could get sick sitting out in the rain like that!"

"I'm the Avatar! I don't get sick…" Korra said, passing out on the couch.

Asami's face twisted with different emotions. Why would Korra sit out on her porch when she knew she wasn't home? Better yet, how did she get back here without Mako or Bolin knowing?

She huffed and marched over to the phone. "Come get her."

Mako sighed on the other side of the phone. "She's at your house."

"Yes she is and she's now passed out on my couch."

"I'm on my way."

* * *

"Why don't you just let her stay here while you work things out? You're still good friends." Mako argued.

"I just can't think with her around right now. And if I really want to break this off I'm going to do it right by biting it in the butt now. You can take her things with you. She's not welcomed back here after she passed out on my porch."

"Asami you need to just talk to her. Please."

"She sat in the rain on my porch, Mako!"

"Okay, okay, yeah that wasn't her brightest idea but you have to understand what she's going through too right now!"

Asami sighed and crossed her arms. "I will talk to her eventually, but not right now. Please just leave."

Mako sighed and turned back to the couch, then he gasped. Asami turned around to see what surprised him. Korra was sitting ramrod straight and staring at them. "I'm not a kid. If you two wanna just keep tossing me around like a lost puppy then just tell me and I'll get out of everyone's hair."

Immediately the two went wide-eyed. They didn't want Korra to go missing for years again! "Korra it's not like that and you know it." Asami replied calmly.

"Bullshit!"

Mako's eyebrows knitted together. He leaned closer to the Avatar and smelled her. "Are you drunk?"

Korra huffed and looked away. "So what if I had a few drinks? I can do what I want!"

"Oh she is definitely not staying here with that attitude. I want both of you out of my house." Asami ordered.

Mako still had no idea exactly what was going on and was quite shocked by both women's behavior. "Okay, I don't know what is happening here but we're settling this now! Korra, you can't just go get drunk when you're upset. I thought you knew better. And you Asami, even if you want to leave Korra, she's been your best friend for years! You can't just abandon her! Or was I completely wrong about you?"

Both Mako and Korra waited for an answer from the CEO. After a minute, Asami huffed and began walking away. Korra growled and ran after her. Mako instantly grabbed her. Korra yelled out in frustration and started firebending. Asami quickly stepped back while Mako tried to control the angry Avatar.

"Korra, knock it off! You're not gonna win her back by firebending, you idiot!" Mako yelled.

"Get out of here now! If you think I'm going to stand for this then you're mistaken, Korra!" Asami yelled once she regained her composure.

Mako had no quarrel with agreeing with her this time. Korra might've just ruined any chance of getting back together.

* * *

"Are you out of your mind?! What compelled you to start firebending?!" Mako ranted on after dragging the Avatar back to his apartment. "No, seriously, I want an answer! You know how she feels about firebending still! You really are an idiot, you know that?!"

"Just shut up, Mako! I know I'm an idiot, I don't need you telling me!" Korra yelled back.

Bolin quietly stood by the wall with his girlfriend. Opal had ran over after hearing that Bolin had lost the Avatar, but now that problem was solved. But Korra created another one in the wake of it.

"You need to fix this."

"I need to fix this?! She's the one who thinks she's cursed!"

Mako growled and grabbed at his hair. "She was going to come back to you!"

Korra froze. "What're you talking about?"

"I went and talked to her. I managed to talk some sense into her and she said she would try to talk to you about it again, but then you ruined it by passing out on her porch!"

Korra practically stopped breathing. "W-What?"

Mako huffed and started turning away from her. "Yeah! She was going to ask to try again…"

Korra slowly sat down on the couch and dropped her head into her hands. "I really am an idiot."

Mako saw a few tears fall from her face and sighed. He cautiously sat beside her and rubbed her back. "Look, let her cool down for a couple of days, then we'll all help you win her back."

Korra tearfully glanced up at him, then to the other couple. Bolin smiled and gave her a thumbs up. Opal happily placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded at her. Korra chuckled in the middle of her tears. "You guys are the best."

* * *

The next day after that, Korra left a bouquet of pink Carnations on her porch. Asami blinked and carefully inspected them. There wasn't a note or anything, but Korra knew she would understand the meaning of it. However, she frowned from her hiding spot across the street when Asami gently tossed them back on the patio.

The following day, Korra left another bouquet of the same flowers along with a box of chocolates and a small love-letter. Again, Korra watched anxiously from across the street. Asami sighed and picked up the note. Slowly a slight blush appeared on her face. She glanced back at the gifts on the ground and decided she'd give her a chance. She picked up the box of candies and the bouquet of flowers, including the ones from the day prior, and brought them inside. Korra did a little happy dance in her head.

The day after that, Korra left some handmade gifts, which included a crown made out of flowers, several 'one free Avatar request' tickets, and a heart made out of clay. Korra waited for some time, but Asami never left for work that day. Korra frowned with worried and carefully snuck across the street to the house. She peered through the window, but didn't see anything in the living room. She peered into rooms she knew Asami might be in but never found her. Finally, she airbended herself onto their, well, her bedroom patio and peered through the door. She sighed in relief when she saw Asami was asleep in bed. Maybe she wasn't feeling good today. Korra frowned again as she realized that even if that was true, she wasn't allowed in to help her. She drudged back to the front porch and sat on the first step. She sat there until nightfall and Asami never ventured out of the house. Korra had peered in again several times when she heard the CEO wander downstairs to go to the kitchen. She sighed and leaned her head on one of the pillars on the porch. Soon sleep caught up to her and she fell asleep.

Asami ran frantic throughout her bedroom, rushing to get ready. She stayed home yesterday so she needed to get to work on time today to catch up on paperwork. She dashed through the front door, but ended up tripping over something on the porch. She nearly fell down the stairs if it wasn't for the thing catching her. She looked up and gasped. "Korra?! What're you doing here? I told you not to come back." Asami growled the last line.

Korra quickly let her go and the CEO stood up to straighten out her outfit. "I-I'm sorry, Asami, but you never left your house yesterday so I was worried. I'm sorry. I'll go." Korra apologized and began getting up to walk away.

Asami saw something dripping off of her arm and grabbed her before she could disappear. "Korra, you're bleeding!"

Korra blinked and brought her arm to her vison. "Huh, look at that. I must've scrapped my arm when I caught you."

"Spirits, hold on! I'll get a first-aid kit." Asami replied, running back inside.

Korra rose a brow. "Uh, Asami?! You remember I can just heal myself, right?"

Asami then returned with the small box of medicines. "I know, but I can still care of you. I did cause this after all."

"Can you still take care of me?" Korra whispered. Asami froze just as she touched the Avatar's arm. Korra frowned and looked away. "This is my fault, by the way. I fell asleep on your porch."

Asami giggled the tiniest bit. "Again. Which I told you not to do."

Korra began getting frantic again. "I-I know! I'm sorry! It won't happen again."

"At least you're not drunk this time."

Korra hung her head. "That was a mistake."

"Obviously."

"I was just so upset because I didn't know what I had done to you."

"I told you it wasn't you. It's me. I'm cursed, remember?"

"I don't care if you're cursed. I'll still be here, sleeping on your porch."

The two carefully stared into each other's eyes before they both blushed. Asami quickly finished patching up her arm and set the kit inside of the front door. "I have to go to work now. We can talk about this later, okay?"

Korra stared at her in surprise that they would have a chance to talk. "O-Okay."

Asami was about to walk away when she saw the new gifts on the ground. She picked up the wreath and, after short contemplation, decided lay it over her hair. Korra smiled when she saw her put it on. Asami picked up the clay heart and smiled as she sat it on the table just inside the door to decide where to place it later. Then Asami then picked up the envelope full of free passes. She rose a brow up at the Avatar who was blushing profusely. She tucked the envelope into her purse. "I think I'll keep those, just in case."

Korra felt so overjoyed that she thought she was going to pass out again. Then the unexpected happened. Asami leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. Korra felt herself grow weak in the knees and smiled her signature smile.

Asami giggled and started walking to her car. "Try not to pass out, again."

Korra waved as the CEO pulled out of the driveway. "No promises."

* * *

Even though the couple seemed to be back on a good page, the rain continued to drench the town. Asami worriedly drove home. She really hoped Korra hadn't actually passed out again. She drove down her road and sighed in relief when she didn't see a shadowy mass on her porch again. She continued to her last destination before going home. She drove past her mansion to a gravel road that led to a field covered in gravestones. She pulled up to the entrance and unraveled her umbrella to walk across the field. She wasn't paying attention until she heard a cry nearby. She looked up sadly and gasped when she saw who was sitting at her parents' graves. A bouquet of pink Carnations sat in on the ground in front of her.

"I love your daughter so much. I can't continue on without her. I know you probably think I'm pathetic crying to you of all people, but I don't know how else to convince her she's not cursed… I want to spend the rest of my life with her, cursed or not." Korra cried on the wet ground. She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her head on her knees. She felt herself slipping again when a hand landed on her shoulder. She tiredly looked up and gasped.

Asami stood above the silly Avatar as she started crying as well. Dropping her umbrella, she kneeled down next to her and wrapped her up in her arms. Korra quickly returned the hug and pulled her into her lap. Sobs started escaping the CEO and Korra rubbed her back. "It's okay, 'Sami. You can cry with me."

Asami wrapped her arms around her neck and nuzzled her head under the girl's neck. They sat still like that while Asami finally cried like she needed to. After a while, Asami hesitantly pulled away from her and glanced over her shoulder at the gravestones. "You were talking to my parents." Korra simply nodded. Another sob briefly escaped Asami again as she cupped the Avatar's cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Korra. I wanted to protect from the same fate as them, but I was wrong. You broke the so-called curse and I was too stupid not to see it. Please forgive me. I want you back. It's too lonely without you."

"Heh, I was the stupid one. I passed out on your porch, multiple times might I add."

"But you saw through my pain and tried to help. I should've let you help."

Korra dropped her head onto Asami's shoulder. "You can let me help now."

Asami nodded. "I trust you."

They sat in silence, except for the pitter-patter of rain. Asami then reached over and grabbed her umbrella. Korra rose a brow. "What? We're gonna get sick if we just sit in the rain like this."

Korra laughed quietly and hugged her again. "I love you, Asami."

Asami's face softened. "I love you too, Korra. Let's go home."

Korra perked up. "Home?"

Asami giggled and helped her stand on her feet again. "Yes, our home. It's been a long day."

Korra smiled and grabbed her hand. "Sounds good."

Asami pulled her closer to her to stand under her umbrella. Korra blushed at the close proximity. Asami draped her free hand over the Avatar's shoulder and leaned in. Just as the two were finally about to reconnect again – "Achoo!" Korra sneezed. Luckily she felt it coming and turned away at the last second.

Asami sighed and began dragging her to the car. "You better not get sick now after all of this, Avatar."

Korra chuckled. "I've sat out in the rain for days now. I don't think it'll hit me now."

But Korra was wrong. As soon as they reached the bedroom, Korra plopped down into the bed. "Ahh, I missed this bed."

Asami chuckled and changed into pajamas. She didn't think Korra was sick until she crawled up to her side. She blinked and felt Korra's forehead. "Korra, are you feeling alright? You feel overly warm."

Korra was about to respond sarcastically, but a sneeze interrupted her again. Asami watched in wonder as Korra sneezed about five and a half more times, then she sighed. "Great, after sitting in the rain for days, you're finally sick. Good job, Avatar."

"I can give you another free Avatar pass to make up for it if you like." Korra joked.

Asami smiled gently and rubbed her head. "No, that's okay Korra. Think of it as payment for how I treated you all week."

Korra was too tired and too happy to argue. "Okay."

And with that, Asami got up to fetch Korra's pajamas and some cough syrup. The CEO poured the liquid into a cup as Korra finished changing. The Avatar plopped back into bed and then Asami leaned over her stomach with the cup. "Drink this, Korra. It'll make you feel better."

Korra laughed in delusional and shook her head. "I don't need medicine. You make me feel better on your own."

Asami felt her heart jump for joy at Korra's confession. She sighed and pressed the cup to her mouth. "I understand that, sweetie, but I can't help if you don't take this medicine."

Korra acted like she was pondering it when suddenly she opened her mouth. Asami began pouring the syrup in when Korra then jumped up trying to spit it out. Asami quickly grabbed her chin and forced her to finish it off. Korra didn't know how she knew how to do this. She was treating her like a kid who wouldn't take their medicine, which is what she was doing, but how did Asami know how to react to it? Either way, Korra had to finish it because Asami was tipping her head back to force the awful taste to spread. Korra gagged and quickly swallowed it to get it over with.

"Gah! That was disgusting! What was that?" Korra questioned.

Asami chuckled and sat the cup down before sliding under the covers. "It's cough syrup. It'll help keep that inevitable cold away."

"The Avatar doesn't get sick."

"Well I'm going to make sure that stays true as long as you're under my roof."

Korra smiled dopily and snuggled up to her girlfriend's side. "As long as I'm under your roof."

Asami pulled her closer. "Always."

* * *

Asami breathed in and out steadily, trying to force the tears at bay. She was tired of crying. It had been over three weeks now, but she still felt like her heart was breaking like it was happening right in front of her again. She kneeled down into the wet grass and laid her hand on the statue of the former Avatar. Too much was happening for her to comprehend at once. Her jet black hair peppered with grey ruffled in the wind as her shoulders shook with sobs.

It was the phone call she was always afraid of receiving. And the worst part was that their daughter had gotten injured in the middle of it all. She gulped at the memory of arriving at the scene and screaming her head off once she saw her wife's body. She always knew it could happen, but to actually experience it hurt more than she was ready for. At first she didn't even realize that Riko was there too, not until Karina had given up on the Avatar to run to her own wife's aid. If it wasn't for Karina, they might've lost Riko too. She had yet to thank her for saving her daughter.

"You were the Avatar, but you were also my dorky wife. I don't know what to do without you, Korra… The kids remind me too much of you. Each one of them had some part of you in them, especially Riko… She pulled through surgery, but she's still in rough shape…" Asami couldn't get more out because she started crying again. A hand landed on her shoulder, but she already knew who it was.

Nami worriedly watched over her mother as she cried. She had to be her rock, even if Asami couldn't look her in the eye still.

Every one of their children truly reminded her of Korra. How they raised each child. How Riko has Korra's stubbornness. How Kohaku has Korra's thrill and excitement over simple things. How Nami has Korra's ability to heal and be gentle.

Nami sighed quietly and began helping her mother stand. "C'mon mom, Uncle Mako and Uncle Bolin are supposed to come over for dinner."

Asami gulped after catching her breath and nodded for her daughter to lead the way.


	15. Chapter 15 Graduation: College AU

**Asami is about to graduate and Korra is late...**

* * *

Asami was a calm, rational person. Even in the middle of this important day, she should be calm. However, she was anything but composed. She gulped as it was her row's turn to stand and claim their diplomas.

'Calm down, Asami. You're a Sato. You can handle a little pressure.'

But walking in front of a crowd was nothing new to her. She had given many lectures on her journey to get her master's degree in engineering. She looked into the stands and smiled at her father. No, it wasn't the crowd that bothered her. It was her girlfriend, who was _still_ nowhere to be seen. She glanced around the open field, hoping to see her running in any second now.

'That idiot. She said her game would end before the ceremony even started!'

Anger started seeping into her. She took a calming breath. She couldn't let herself get angry, especially since it probably wasn't Korra's fault. 'Remember all the good she's done.'

* * *

 _Asami anxiously took a sip of her iced coffee. Nothing was better to start her day. She was about to push open the door when a tan,_ hot _girl dashed in. The girl hadn't paid attention and ran into the engineer, spilling her drink everywhere. She gasped as cold liquid ran down the front of her clothes and the other girl fell to the floor._

 _Asami sighed and reached over for some napkins to dry her now wet jeans. The girl quickly hopped onto her feet and grabbed more napkins to help. "I-I'm so sorry! It was an accident! I-I…"_

 _Their faces were a few inches apart. A blush came across the girl's face and quickly dropped a bunch of napkins on the floor and dashed back out of the shop._

 _Asami watched in amusement as the girl nervously ran away. She chuckled and finished cleaning up. Even though she too had blushed at the closeness, she had noticed that the girl had dark bags under her eyes. She looked through the window once she had a new drink. She then wondered back to the tan beauty from earlier. 'She was pretty cute. I hope she's okay though.'_

* * *

 _Asami took a deep breath and continued rambling on about equations and mechanics of the latest engineering technology. Some of the students were eagerly writing notes while others struggled to keep up and eventually quit writing notes._

 _Suddenly the back door to the lecture room creaked open and a tan woman poked her head in. The girl smirked as Asami stuttered her current sentence before stopping completely to stare at her. The students who had given up trying to keep up with her looked back and forth between them before rushing to write down what they could remember of the lecture before it picked up again._

 _Asami's astonishment turned into irritation and she turned around to the board, continuing to show the class how to do the equation. Some of the students groaned as she returned to her fast pace before dropping their pencils again. She quickly dismissed the class after taking any questions about the homework. She huffed as she started packing up her folders when she heard someone hop down the center aisle and jump into a seat. Asami looked up and saw that girl smirking at her again._

 _"_ _What're you doing here?" Asami asked._

 _The girl smiled. "Am I not allowed to sit in on a lecture?_

 _Asami rose a brow. "Well no but it's not like you're getting anything out of it."_

 _"_ _How do you know? You don't even know what I'm majoring in."_

 _Asami chuckled. "If you were an engineer major you'd have signed up for the class and I would know your name."_

 _The girl pouted. "Fine, you got me there. Well I didn't get to introduce myself last time."_

 _"_ _You mean when you ran into me at the coffee shop and spilled my drink everywhere."_

 _The girl sat up nervously. "I-I'm really sorry about that! I felt awful that I couldn't stay to help clean up but I was late for class…"_

 _Asami watched as the girl hung her head in shame. She felt intrigued with how the girl went from overwhelming confidence to saddening shame. She walked over to the desk and held out her hand. The girl had looked up midway when she heard her heels. "I'm Asami."_

 _The girl smiled. "I'm Korra."_

 _"_ _Well Korra, if you really feel that bad about that accident then maybe you can make it up to me."_

 _Korra looked up hopefully at her. "I-I'll get you a new coffee! I'll get you a coffee every day for that matter!"_

 _Asami laughed and shook her head. "I was thinking more about dinner."_

* * *

 _Asami pulled up to the dorm hall and saw the tan girl standing under the streetlight. Korra was wearing jeans and a plaid shirt. Asami parked and got out of the car to greet her._

 _Korra's eyes widened when she saw the engineer. "I-I'm underdressed."_

 _Asami rose a brow. "What're you talking about? You look great."_

 _Korra nervously rubbed her neck. "Ah, but you look so good. Your dress is perfect."_

 _Asami blinked and looked down at her red dress she decided on. She didn't think it was all that much, but one look at Korra's anxious face told her what she needed to know. She glanced back at her red sports car and began to get nervous herself._

 _"_ _No, you're fine. I'm the one who overdressed. I-I'm sorry." Asami replied. She knew she was showing off her wealth, even if it was unknown to her._

 _Korra quickly waved her hands in front of her. "No! You're beautiful! Don't apologize for that."_

 _Asami blushed, but then turned to open the door for her. "Ready?"_

 _Korra gulped, contemplating just running away again. But Asami's welcoming gaze lured her to the car. She gazed in astonishment at the fancy car. Asami slid into the driver's seat and revved the engine. Before she could object, they were soaring through the streets._

 _Korra was laughing as she jumped out of the car. "Woo! That was so exhilarating!"_

 _Asami smirked as she joined her on the curb. "You looked like you could use the excitement."_

 _Korra smiled at her. "We should do that again! I…" She stopped as she looked at the restaurant they were at. Her smile turned into a frown as she nonchalantly patted her pocket, checking that her wallet was there._

 _She was hoping that the engineer wouldn't notice but apparently she did. Asami glanced at her when she seemingly drudged into the doorway. "Korra, are you alright? Is this a bad place?"_

 _Korra smiled brightly at her. "No! It's fine! Let's go!"_

 _Asami looked at her suspiciously but guided her in nonetheless._

 _All throughout dinner, they laughed and shared stories about their youth. Asami learned that Korra was from Louisiana. She was all the way in Virginia on a scholarship to play soccer. That was the only way she could afford school. And she was majoring in criminal psychology._

 _In return, Asami shared that she was originally from Virginia, was working on her master's in engineering, and her family was pretty wealthy ("Obviously," Korra had stated jokingly at this.) Also she was kind of a genius and graduated high school at 15 and that's how she was already working on a master's degree. Korra stated how happy she was for Asami, but felt slightly ashamed that she wasn't as good as Asami. Korra wasn't the best in school and then she wasted a year after high school before deciding to go to college._

 _However, Korra's personality changed again when the bill arrived. Asami had figured out that Korra wasn't wealthy, even if the girl never mentioned it. All the signs were there. So as Korra's eyes lit up with panic, Asami reached over and took the bill out of her hands._

 _Korra looked up nervously. "Huh, Asami? What're you doing? I can pay it."_

 _Asami waved her off. "It's okay, Korra. I told you I'm wealthy. I have no problem paying for this."_

 _"_ _No! I want to pay it. I'm have to after that accident that other day." Korra argued._

 _"_ _Korra, it's really fine. I'm not even concerned about the coffee."_

 _Before Asami could say more, Korra reached over the table and yanked to bill out of her fingers. "Hey!"_

 _"_ _I'm paying for this Asami and you're not going to argue about it, understood?" Korra said sternly._

 _Asami blinked at the strength in Korra's voice. She nodded aimlessly and Korra smiled before placing money in the slot of the small folder holding the bill._

 _"_ _At least let me pay the tip." Asami started but was stopped when Korra held up her hand and gave the money to the waiter when he returned._

 _"_ _Nope, I got it." Korra said and smiled cheekily._

 _Asami pouted but sighed when Korra appeared undeterred. "I will pay for the next four dinners then."_

 _Korra blinked and then smiled even brighter. "So I get another date?"_

 _Asami couldn't help but giggle. "Yes, Korra, you get another date."_

 _"_ _Yessss!" Korra hissed and punched the air._

* * *

 _"_ _And Junior Korra scores right before the halftime whistle!" The announcer yelled into the mic as the audience cheered for their team. Korra smiled brightly and high-fived her teammates. She looked into the crowd and waved at the beauty that is Asami Sato. This was the first game the engineer had been to and was cheering loudly, but when she saw Korra looking she blew a kiss at her. Korra blushed and giggled stupidly as the team walked into the locker room._

 _Just as the coach finished talking and let them rest for a minute, Korra felt air swim through the toes of her left foot. She frowned and leaned down to inspect it. 'Great, another tear. I don't have time to sew this up! Ugh, I'm just gonna have to use the duct tape again…'_

 _She shamefully began wrapping tape around the middle of her shoe. She felt a presence above her and winced. She gulped before glancing up._

 _"_ _You need to get new boots, Korra. I already told you that."_

 _Korra hung her head. "Yes, Coach Tenzin…"_

 _Tenzin sighed. He did not need Korra upset going into the second half. He kneeled down to her and patted her knee. "If you need help, you know you can ask me."_

 _Korra shook him off and started walking back onto the field. "It's okay coach. I'll take care of it."_

 _Tenzin sighed and followed her._

 _Asami smiled when she saw Korra run back out, but then frowned when she noticed the athlete looked a little upset. That's when she noticed the grey tape around one of her cleats. Her frown deepened with understanding. She then made up her mind. Korra kept pushing her money away from her, but she needed the help even if she was too stubborn to accept it. Every time it was Asami's turn to buy dinner, Korra chose cheaper places than usual. Sometimes Asami got fed up with it and forced Korra to eat at nicer places. And every time it was Korra's turn she picked more expensive places that Asami knew she couldn't afford. Asami was certainly tired of Korra pretending she could afford everything._

 _The game quickly picked up again, also picking up Korra's attitude, and Korra ended up scoring two more times. Asami waited for her in the parking lot after the game. The athlete had showered so they could go to dinner afterwards._

 _Korra was practically prancing after that great game and skipped to Asami's side to kiss her on the cheek. "Thanks for coming today. It means a lot to me."_

 _Asami smiled and pulled her closer to kiss her properly. "I was happy to come watch you play. It was kinda a turn on." She whispered in her ear when they pulled away. They eventually got into the car and drove away._

 _Korra blinked when they arrived at Dick's instead of the restaurant. "Uhh, Asami? What're we doing here? Aren't we going to dinner?"_

 _Asami sighed. She knew Korra might react negatively but she needed to do this. "Before we go to dinner, I wanted to get you new gear."_

 _It took a minute for Korra to process it, but then she scowled. "Asami, I told you I don't need help."_

 _"_ _Korra, your cleats are falling apart!"_

 _"_ _I don't need your money! I can handle myself! I've been doing it for years."_

 _Asami huffed and crossed her arms. "Okay, so you have money to buy new cleats? Because I'm not letting any girlfriend of mine go without what she needs."_

 _Korra stomped out of the car. "I'm not a charity case! I'm not dating you because of your money!"_

 _Asami instantly followed her. "Is that what you think this is about?!"_

 _Korra stopped stomping a few feet. Asami caught up to her and grabbed her arm to turn her around. Her scowl instantly disappeared when she saw tears falling from Korra's eyes._

 _"_ _Korra, what's wrong?"_

 _Korra covered her eyes with her palms. "I don't know! I'm just tired of everything!"_

 _"_ _Oh, sweetie…" Asami cooed as she pulled her into a tight hug. "You don't have to do this by yourself." They stood there for a few minutes while Korra calmed down, all the while Asami patted her head. "I'm not dating you as charity. Did I know anything about you when you spilled my coffee everywhere? No. Did I know you were the most stubborn yet sweetest person I have ever met? No. It was only after we grew close to each other did I learn how much I love you!"_

 _Both froze. Asami went wide-eyed and covered her mouth with one hand. She began pulling away, stuttering. Suddenly, Korra smiled through her tears and pulled her back into a hug._

 _"_ _I love you too, Asami."_

 _Asami smiled into her shoulder and a few tears of her own appeared. She quickly wrapped her arms around Korra's shoulders and leaned into her. "So can I pay for your new gear?"_

 _Korra chuckled. "Sure."_

* * *

Ring! Ring! _Asami squirmed around her bed, ignoring her phone. She slowly opened her eyes and soon realized that it was still dark out. Who would be calling at this time at night? She leaned onto her elbow and reached over to the nightstand for her phone. She plopped back onto the pillow before reading the caller ID. In an instant, she was sitting straight up with wide eyes. Something must be wrong for her to call so late._

 _"_ _Korra?" Asami answered. She got no reply but heard sniffles. "Korra, what's wrong?"_

 _On the other side, Korra gaped as she fetched for any words. "Gah…I…sorry… Can you…come over?"_

 _Asami was already out of bed and searching for clothes to change into. "I'm on my way, hun."_

 _A resident assistant was waiting for the engineer at the front door. "Are you Asami?" Her jet black hair shook as she nodded. "Follow me. Korra's woken up everyone on the third floor_ again _."_

 _Asami gasped. "Again? What do you mean?"_

 _The girl rose a brow at her. "You don't know? She…she has nightmares. But she hasn't had one in months. I wonder if something triggered it."_

 _Asami gaped. Why hadn't Korra told her?_

 _"_ _In fact, I think this is the first time she's had a nightmare since she started dating you." The girl commented._

 _Asami blinked. As she thought about it, it would make sense for Korra to hide this from her if she hadn't been having the nightmares. If anything, her calling meant she trusted her enough to come see her._

 _The girl led them up the stairs and stopped at a door in the middle of the hallway. "This is Korra's room. If you need anything I'm just four doors down. My name's Opal by the way."_

 _Asami mindlessly nodded and thanked her before knocking on the door. "Korra, it's me, Asami."_

 _After a few quiet seconds, she heard rapid shuffling. The door was yanked open and she was instantly pulled inside. She gasped as she was hugged tightly. She looked down and saw a shivering Korra tucked under her chin._

 _Asami breathed in calmly before carefully guiding the girl to the bed. "Korra, do you wanna talk about it?"_

 _The athlete sniffled and shook her head. Asami pulled her into her lap and wrapped the blanket around them. Korra gripped the engineer's shirt tightly. Asami frowned and hugged her tighter while laying her chin on the top of her head. "It's okay, Korra. I'm right here."_

 _Eventually, Korra's shivering calmed down and the girl soon fell back asleep. Asami glanced down when she heard a light snore under her. She smiled and carefully laid her down. For a minute she thought about leaving, but what if she had another nightmare? Just then she heard a new whimper escape the girl's lips. Asami slid in behind her and wrapped her arms around her. Korra grabbed her hands and pulled her closer. Her squirming settled again. Asami sighed in relief. Soon she too fell asleep._

 _Korra tried falling back asleep when morning came. She might've succeeded too if she hadn't felt a pair of hands on her back. She jumped up in panic. Her heart calmed down again when she saw her girlfriend lying next to her. Her jet black hair swirled around the pillow and her makeup was nowhere to be seen. She was absolutely beautiful. Korra blushed with admiration. She contemplated sliding back into her arms and falling back asleep peacefully, but then she figured she'd make breakfast to thank her for coming over at 2 in the morning._

 _Asami woke up a few minutes later when she smelled something delicious. She carefully peaked her eyes open, but gasped when she saw that Korra wasn't next to her. She quickly looked around for her and sighed in relief when she saw the athlete in the small kitchen of her dorm. She smiled at the sight of Korra cooking. She was so adorable._

 _"_ _Making breakfast?"_

 _Korra jumped. "Damn, 'Sami you scared me. I didn't know you were awake." Asami chuckled and began crawling out of the bed. Korra dropped her spatula and waved her arms in front of her. "No, no! I'm treating you to breakfast in bed to thank you."_

 _"_ _Korra, you don't have to thank me. I'd have done whatever I could to help you last night."_

 _Korra still rushed over and pushed her back into the cushions. "I want to do this, though."_

 _They stared into each other's eyes before Asami pressed her lips into hers. Korra moaned and started to crawl into her lap. They would have continued but smoke started filling the room. Korra abruptly pulled away and ran to the stove. "Gah! No! Not the bacon!" She cried. She then sighed at what wasn't burnt. She carried two plates over to the bed and sat beside her girlfriend. "Well, at least the eggs and toast are still salvageable."_

 _Asami giggled and eagerly took a plate from her. "I really appreciate it, Korra. You didn't have to do this."_

 _Korra gulped. "I hope I get to do it more." She whispered and looked away._

 _Asami tipped her chin and kissed her hard on the mouth. "I hope so too."_

 _Korra blushed and giggled stupidly._

 _Soon Asami had to leave for class but made sure Korra was okay before she left. Korra did her best to assure her that she was absolutely fine now. Asami sighed and started walking out of the dorm building. Just before she pushed open the main door, a voice called after her. "Asami, wait!"_

 _The engineer looked back and saw the RA from last night. Opal caught her breath before dropping a card key in her hand. "That's an extra card key. It'll get you into Korra's room. After last night, I have no problem giving it to you. Usually on her bad nights she has as many as four nightmares. After you came she didn't have anymore, at least not any that woke up the whole hall. I can't express my gratitude."_

 _Asami's eyes had widened. "I-I… Well thank you, but should you really be giving me this?"_

 _Opal rose a brow. "I really don't appreciate getting up in the middle of the night to make sure she's okay, sometimes several times a night, and then having to stay up to let you in the building. As long as you're there for her on her bad days, my conscious is clean. Thanks again, Asami."_

 _"_ _It's, uh, no problem. I should be thanking you."_

 _"_ _Just try to be there for her. She tends to keep her thoughts to herself."_

 _Asami nodded. "I know."_

* * *

 _Asami glanced over as Korra was frantically studying and writing notes in the margins of the pages. She looked back to her speech she had to give next week. A presentation was the last thing she had to do before graduating. She practically knew her project by heart. It was Korra she was more worried about. The girl was cramming criminal law and psychology into her brain and still had soccer on top of it. She had been jumpy and anxious lately, causing her nightmares to flare up again. Korra rarely talked about them. She tried occasionally but bringing up her past always made it worse. So Asami had relented and stayed content just being there to comfort her._

 _Suddenly Korra flopped onto her back and groaned. Asami rose a brow. This was the fifth time she'd given up. "I can't do it."_

 _Asami sighed and crawled over to lay next to her. "Yes you can, hun. I believe in you."_

 _Korra sighed and wrapped her arms over her back. "I just need a break."_

 _Asami nodded and laid her head on her chest, throwing her leg over her hip. Korra smiled happily and began to doze off. Suddenly Asami remembered she wanted to talk to Korra and slyly landed a few well-placed kisses to the athlete's neck. Korra groaned and turned her head to give her more room. After a few more kisses, Asami pulled away and straddled her waist. "Do I have your attention now?"_

 _Korra's eyes were glazed over. "Yes, Ms. Sato."_

 _Asami blushed at the nickname Korra liked to use sometimes. "Not that kind of attention!" Asami said jokingly, smacking her on the arm._

 _Korra chuckled and sighed. "Okay, what's up then?"_

 _Asami sighed, trying to prepare both of them. "I think you should talk about what happened…"_

 _Korra went wide-eyed and sat up. "Asami, I-I told you I can't. You saw what happened last time."_

 _"_ _I know but I really think it would help you."_

 _Korra started getting up but Asami pushed her back down by her shoulders. "You're not getting away that easily." Asami knew this was risky, but she wasn't going to rush Korra if she still wasn't ready to talk about it. Korra sighed and dropped her head to the floor. Asami was surprised, but she knew sometimes all Korra needed was a little push._

 _"_ _I-I don't know why I have nightmares. I didn't have a bad life or anything, you know that much. But we didn't have a lot. We struggled sometimes and living in the South didn't help. Some people there still hold traditional values about 'colored folks'. I got beat up plenty of times in school, but I soon learned how to defend myself. There were a few incidents where things got dangerous, but dad always protected us…"_

 _Asami leaned down and ran her fingers through her brown hair. "What made you want to study criminal psychology?"_

 _Korra's eyes went wide. "I-I… I always knew I was different, that something was wrong with me. I guess…I wanted to help catch others who had gone too far. I honestly don't know, that's just a guess."_

 _"_ _Is that what psychology says?" Asami asked since Korra knew psychology._

 _Korra sighed. "Psychology says that those who are poorer are more likely to suffer mental illness and lower IQ…"_

 _Asami thought back to all of her memories of Korra to see if she had seen any signs of her being 'different'. None came to mind until she remembered the first day she met the soccer player. Korra had dashed into the coffee shop, spilling the engineer's drink everywhere. The girl had dark bags under her eyes and seemed a little out of it._

 _Asami seemed to come to a conclusion suddenly. "Have I helped push it away?"_

 _Korra squeezed her eyes shut before slowly nodding. "Is that why you haven't talked about it?" Korra nodded again. Asami leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. "I love you Korra, but you have to communicate with me about how your feeling. You can't keep it bottled inside."_

 _"_ _I know, but…before you I had no one to talk to. So when things did work out between us, I figured it was better to keep it inside so it wouldn't drive you away. I had already gotten used to it anyway."_

 _Asami kissed her to stop her from talking. "From now on, you tell me when something is bothering you."_

 _Korra nodded eagerly and kissed her back. "I will, I promise."_

* * *

Asami smiled at the memories of her girlfriend. Even if she wasn't here, she knew she was proud of her. Her turn was quickly approaching and she took a deep breath to ready herself. Just before her name was called, she saw someone dashing through the parking lot and racing to the football field. The engineer smiled and stepped forward when her name was called.

Korra made it right on time. As soon as she stepped foot onto the grass, Asami was receiving her diploma. The soccer player smiled brightly and snapped a photo with her phone. Asami giggled and blew a kiss at the girl. Korra blushed and watched her walk back to her seat. She then cautiously made her way to the graduate's father. They hadn't gotten off to a good start, but they were slowly coming to a truce to please Asami.

She pouted, trying to keep her temper in check. She kept her eyes on her girlfriend until her father spoke up. "You're late."

Korra huffed angrily and looked away. "I made it in time to see Asami, that's what matters."

"I can't believe she fell for you still. I didn't raise her to be this way."

Korra angrily glanced at him. "What? To like girls or to like 'colored' people?"

Hiroshi closed his fists to keep his own temper in check. He didn't bother answering the girl, knowing it would set her off. Korra silently thanked him for it. She didn't want to make a scene at Asami's graduation ceremony. But she might still.

"Sir, I-I know we aren't on great terms, but I need to ask you something…"

After what seemed like forever, the ceremony was over and all of the students threw their caps into the air. Korra smiled again and raced down the bleachers to find her beloved. Students began dispersing to find their families and take photos. Korra found Asami waiting for her a few feet away. She ran to her and tackled her in a big hug. Asami laughed as Korra swung her in the air briefly before setting her back on her feet.

"I'm glad you made it on time." Asami said. Her voice was filled with such happiness.

Korra smiled and held her hand. "I told you I wouldn't miss it!"

Asami laughed. "Even if you're still in your jersey."

"Hey! I put a nice shirt over top!" Korra replied jokingly. Suddenly her smile disappeared and she looked down.

"Korra sweetie, what's wrong? Did something happen at your game?"

"N-No, it's just, I feel kinda underdressed for this."

Asami scowled. "What're you talking about? It's just graduation. I told you whatever was comfortable for you would be fine. I don't' mind that you're still in your jersey."

Korra smiled nervously and rubbed her neck. "It's not that."

Asami felt the pressure in the air intensify and knew Korra was about to pull a stunt, but for some reason she felt okay with it. "Korra…"

Suddenly Korra fell to one knee while still holding her hand. Asami put her other hand to her own red face. Korra was struggling to breathe as she fetched a box from her pocket. Tears fell from both of them.

Korra gulped. "Asami, I-I…"

"Yes!" Asami yelled and tackled the athlete to the ground. She smashed their lips together until they desperately needed air.

More tears immediately fell from Korra's eyes. "R-Really?"

"Of course, Korra. I want this too."

Korra chuckled tearfully and went to wipe away her tears but Asami beat her to it. "You didn't even hear my speech."

"I didn't need to hear it. I could feel it in you."

Korra looked up and Asami almost couldn't handle seeing Korra saw awestruck. "Asami Sato, will you marry me?"

Asami pulled her into a tight hug. "Yes, Korra." She whispered back.

Korra pulled away enough to open the box and show her the beautiful emerald ring that she then slid onto her finger.

The crowd around them suddenly filled their ears with cheers and claps. They looked around and smiled as their classmates showed their happiness for them. Asami looked behind Korra and gasped. Hiroshi stood a few feet away with a small smile on his face. He chuckled when he saw her looking at him and nodded.

Tears filled Asami's vision and she turned back to Korra. "You asked my father?"

Korra smiled. "Of course I did. I wanna keep some traditions, right?"

Asami laughed and helped her stand up. They finished taking pictures and conversing with close friends before leaving. As they walked to Asami's car hand-in-hand, the engineer couldn't help but let some questions fill her head. She turned to Korra, who still looked giddy from the excitement. "Korra, how did you afford this?"

Korra's smile disappeared and was replaced by a pout. "I, uh, you know it's quite funny you ask."

"Please tell me you didn't go to a loan shark again."

"No! No, definitely not! I learned my lesson. I, uh, actually had some help from my parents."

Asami turned to her abruptly. "You borrowed from your parents?!"

"I'm gonna pay them back, 'Sami! I was saving up but I wouldn't make enough in time for today. I paid more than they did."

Asami's slight anger disappeared and she laughed. Korra rose a brow until her girlfriend pulled her in for another hug. "You are something else, you know that Korra?"

Korra grinned. "I know."

"I'm still gonna pay your parents back right away."

"What?! No! 'Samiiiiii!"

"By the way, why _were_ you late?" Asami asked, changing the subject so Korra couldn't argue.

Korra pouted but let it go anyway. "There was a complication at the end of the game."

Asami rose a brow. That either meant she got into a fight or she got injured. "Go on…"

Korra sighed and leaned against the back of their car. "I did a slide-tackle and another player kicked me in the leg. I had to sit out, but there was only a few minutes left."

"Korra! What?! Why didn't you tell me?! Let me see it!" Asami asked frantically.

Korra laughed and lifted her shorts to show a large bruise already appearing on her thigh. "What're you going to do, 'Sami? You're an engineer, not a – doctor!" Korra hollered as she was lifted into the air. Her arms swung around for something to grab onto until she found Asami's shoulder. She gulped and looked up, then blushed deeply when she saw Asami above her.

Asami laughed and carried her to the passenger side. "Just because I'm not a doctor doesn't mean I can't take care of you."

Korra sheepishly sat in her seat as Asami hopped in and sped off. Korra gulped and looked down. "I'd argue that I'm fine, which I am, but that really threw me off but was also kind of a turn on and I didn't know you were so strong and-"

Korra was cut off when Asami leaned over and kissed her to stop her babbling. The rest of the car ride was quiet. Korra just twiddled her thumbs while Asami happily drove them to their apartment, which Korra had moved into after the semester ended.

Korra winced as she stepped out of the car. Asami noticed and stepped closer knowingly.

Korra held up her hand, knowing what Asami was about to do. "No! I'm fine. I can handle walking."

Asami rose a brow, unconvinced. "Are you sure? You look quite tired for having played a soccer game and then _ran_ across campus with an injured leg to make it to the ceremony."

Korra's face turned red. "I-I... *sigh* I am kinda sore."

Without letting another second pass, Asami swooped Korra up into her arms again. The athlete yelped in surprise and clung to her. After relaxing in her arms, Korra spoke up. "I can't believe you're the one carrying me bridal-style instead of the other way around."

Asami giggled. "I think it's romantic."

Korra huffed but didn't argue any further. She let Asami carry her all the way to the bedroom. Korra then slid out of her arms and pulled her to the bed.

"Korra, c'mon, I'm still in my ceremony clothes."

Korra smirked. "Does it matter? Your clothes are going to be on the floor in a few minutes."

Asami rested a hand above Korra's chest as she was pulled into the other's lap. "Hun, do we have to do this now? It's been a long day for both of us and you're kinda hurt."

"I'm perfectly capable of getting it on for your information."

Asami rose a brow, then kissed her eagerly. "If you really want to prove your point that you're not injured then go ahead. But I'm certain you're going to be hurting in the morning."

"Oh, I like the sound of that." Korra replied smartly.

Asami huffed and pushed her into the bed. "I meant your leg, but fine."

Asami smiled happily the next morning as she cooked breakfast wearing nothing other than an apron. Yesterday had been one of the greatest days of her life. The least she could do was have breakfast in bed with Korra. She was fixing the plates with food when she heard a groan from the other room. "'Samiiiiii…"

She knew what it was and smirked. "So how does your leg feel?"

Asami was answered with another groan. She strutted back into the bedroom with two plates and set one of each nightstand. Korra had been writhing in pain but fell into a trance when she saw Asami. "Woah…"

The engineer chuckled. "Hopefully my cooking is as good as I look."

Korra didn't find it in herself to reply. She fetched the plate of eggs and bacon and dug in. After having a game and then skipping dinner to be with Asami all night, she was starving. Asami chuckled and took her time eating while Korra finished quickly. Luckily Asami had foreseen this and put extra on the girl's plate.

Korra set her plate aside and leaned on the engineer's shoulder. "How does your leg feel?"

"I can barely move it without being in pain." Korra replied nonchalantly.

Asami sighed and kissed her forehead. "It'll ease up. I find some ice and medicine after I finish breakfast."

"I love you…" Korra answered sleepily.

Asami glanced down and smiled softly at the sight of her now-fiancée sleeping. "I love you too."


	16. Chapter 16 Valentine's Day Struggle

**Forgetting important dates must run in the family.**

* * *

The new Chief dashed down the street, hurrying to the estate before the sun set. Her metal boots screeched on the pavement as she rounded a corner. Her shift had just ended, but her wife usually expected her within a few hours of it ending. She glanced at the sun. She guessed she had about three or four hours until it grew dark out. She groaned and pushed herself harder to get back to her old home.

Asami stood in her purple robe in the kitchen while she made herself a cup of coffee after a long day at work. All of a sudden, there was quick rapping at the front door. She sighed, setting her hot drink down, and went to the door. She rose a brow when she saw her guest. "Riko? What are you doing here?"

Riko gasped for breath, placing her hands on her knees. "Is…Korra…here?!"

Asami sighed in exasperation and laid a hand to her head. "You really are Korra's child. I don't know how in the world you two are so much alike."

Riko looked up, raising a brow of her own. "What…are you?"

"Korra's in town, doing some 'shopping.' If you hurry you might be able to catch her so she can 'help' you."

It took a minute for Riko to catch on and she took off running again. "Thanks mom!"

Asami sighed again as she closed the door. She retrieved her coffee and sat in front of the fireplace. "Only my family could forget Valentine's Day until the last second." Her sigh turned into a giggle as she thought about how happy they made her still.

* * *

Riko weaved through the crowd of vendors trying to sell the last of their holiday goods. Korra had to be around here somewhere. She growled when she couldn't find her after ten minutes. Just then, a hand landed on her shoulder. She whipped around and a great smile made its way onto her face. "Mom! I've been looking for you."

"Did you come straight from work?" Korra asked, noticing the metalbending gear.

"Ah? Uh yeah actually. I need your help."

"I need your help too badgermole."

"I need to find a gift for Karina/Asami!" They screamed at the same time. They blinked, then Korra yanked her into another store. "C'mon Chief! Let's start looking!" Riko smiled, feeling like she was on another adventure with Korra again.

* * *

Karina looked through the kitchen window, noticing the setting sun. Where was Riko? She knew it was Valentine's Day, so why was she running so late? The waterbender continued cooking the Chief's favorite meal as a way to celebrate the occasion.

* * *

"This?"

"No are you crazy?! She won't like that!"

"I don't know! She's your wife! How do you expect me to help, badgermole?!"

"You've been with Asami longer! I thought you might have some good ideas! Apparently not!"

"Gahh! You really take after Lin sometimes." Korra growled.

"Really? 'Cause Asami says I take after you all of the time." Riko replied. The duo began calming down.

"Does she really do that still?" Korra asked calmly.

"Yeah…Pretty much everyone says that actually."

They sat silent on a bench outside of a store. "Well c'mon, let's prove them wrong."

"Prove them wrong? What are you talking about?" Riko asked.

Korra smiled as she pulled the young Chief up. "I mean I know you can get a better gift than flowers and chocolate like I do almost every year."

Riko suddenly smirked. "Does Asami find that snazzy?"

Korra groaned and hung her head. Then grabbed her daughter by the ear and dragged her into another store. "Don't you dare say that again, understand?"

"Ow, ow, ow, yesssss, hahaha!"

* * *

"So you normally do flowers and chocolate, right?" Riko asked. Korra nodded. "What about getting her something that she actually needs?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. You're the one who lives with her. You'll have to figure out that part."

"But she already has everything she needs! She's one of the richest people in the world! I'm even using her money!" Korra exclaimed.

Riko paused, putting her pouty-thinking face on. "I'm sure she's given you some sort of hint at something she wants."

"Why would she when she expects chocolate and flowers every year?"

Riko deadpanned. "There's not _anything_ she wants?"

"I don't think so."

"Then don't get her anything."

"What?"

"See? That seemed like a bad idea. You have to get her something! She'll appreciate anything you get her, you know that."

Korra sighed. "I know, but I want to get her something nicer this Valentine's."

They both went quiet. Riko suddenly popped up. "I've got it!"

"What?!"

"I like that idea." Korra answered with a smile. "It's great!"

"Awesome! Now help me?" Riko asked, jokingly.

"Okay, okay, let me think. What do you normally do?"

"Well we've only had a few Valentine's Days together, but usually we have some sort of dinner date and I get her flowers or something." Riko answered nervously.

Korra paused. "Do you think she's planning dinner right now?"

Riko quickly went into a panic. "Crap! She's probably making dinner right now! I gotta go!"

Korra grabbed her collar before she took off again. "Slow down! She'll be alright, but you can't return home empty-handed."

Riko groaned as she halted. "Okay, okay, what do I do?"

"Well first you might wanna take your own advice. Is there anything she needs? I know you're not rich so there has to be something."

"Uhhh…" She paused to think again. "I'm not sure. I mean she's kind of like you; doesn't need much to be happy."

Korra smiled. "Okay, keep that thought in mind. She'll be happy with whatever you get her, you just said it yourself!"

Riko sat in thought for a few minutes. "What if I make her something?"

Korra beamed. "That's a great idea! Especially for a water tribe girl."

"Okay then I just have to figure out what to make for her…"

* * *

Korra giggled excitedly as she rang the doorbell. Even if it was technically her home, she wanted it to feel like a real date. Asami answered the door groggily. "Korra, what're you doing? This is your house too, ya know?"

Korra smiled. "I know, but I wanted it to feel real."

Asami squinted her eyes in confusion. "Wha?" That's when she noticed Naga standing in the background looking all glammed up with fancy new gear.

"Well? Aren't you going to get dressed?" Korra asked.

Asami still looked confused. "What are you talking about? I thought you'd just do flowers and chocolates like every year."

"Nope, not this year! C'mon, I can't wait much longer!" Korra said.

Asami noted her wife's excitement and laughed. "Okay, give me some time, though."

"I could wait forever, baby." Korra answered seductively. Asami paused, then crushed their lips together.

"Well I won't make you wait three years." Asami giggled. Korra groaned out as the taller woman disappeared inside.

* * *

Riko gulped, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. She carefully held her handmade gift in one hand and slowly opened the door with the other. "Karina? I'm home." She peered around the corner and saw her wife asleep on the couch. The Chief felt bad for making her wait so long when she noticed the surprisingly still hot dinner on the table. She knelt in front of her wife and softly caressed her cheek. "I love you."

"It's about time you got home. I thought I would have to get a search party together." Karina mumbled out, pressing her cheek into Riko's hand.

Riko chuckled. "Sorry, I uh…"

"Forgot it was Valentine's Day?"

"No. No. I was uhh helping Korra."

"With her Valentine's Day gift I presume."

"Maybe…"

Karina finally opened her eyes and giggled at Riko's nervous expression. "C'mon, let's eat." Karina made to stand up, but Riko kept her seated on the couch. "What's up, hun?"

"I-I got you a present." Riko said.

"Really?" Karina asked happily. 'Other than flowers?' she thought to herself.

Riko gulped and pulled out her surprise from behind her. Karina gasped and covered her face. It wasn't anything fancy. It wasn't bought. It wasn't even anything out of the ordinary for them. But Karina loved it all the same.

"Did you make this?" Karina asked in astonishment. Riko nodded bashfully. The waterbender grabbed her by the sides of her face and planted a forceful kiss. Riko gasped and pressed back in return, setting the gift aside. She climbed up onto the couch with her as the kiss dragged on. Karina reluctantly broke it off as Riko finally claimed her seat in her lap. "We can continue this later, hun. But for now, let's eat _dinner_. I don't want it to get cold."

Riko pouted but obeyed. Karina smiled as she grabbed her gift and set it beside the radio table. She eyed it carefully as Riko took a stand behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist. Karina hadn't expected this kind of gift. Riko had metalbended her own bouquet of flowers that would never wilt. Even if it was technically still flowers, Karina loved that Riko had thought to make her own with her bending skills.

* * *

Asami clung to dear life as Naga ran through the streets. It seemed the animal had picked up on Korra's excitement and became excited to get to their destination as well. "Korra! Couldn't we have taken the car?!" The CEO screamed over the wind.

The Avatar laughed. "Now would that be as exciting?!"

Asami watched as the city began to disappear, replaced by the docks, which soon led to the sandy beach. What could her little Avatar have planned? She was never the romantic type. It clicked in her head as Naga slowed. "I'm guessing Riko found you earlier, huh?"

Korra chuckled nervously. "Yeah, she needed help finding a gift for Karina."

Asami sighed playfully. "I swear you two…"

"Are so much alike?" Korra finished. "Yeah, I know."

They found a picnic already set up and hopped off of Naga. "Korra, did you plan this?" Asami gasped.

Korra scratched the back of her neck. "Yeah, well I had a little bit of help."

"Riko?"

"Yeah."

"I swear if I didn't know any better I'd say that you two are related." They laughed and sat down on the blanket together. "Well hun, this picnic sure looks snazzy."

Asami couldn't help but laugh as Korra groaned loudly. "Whyyyyy?"

Asami tried to hide her laughter behind her hand. "I'm sorry, Korra. I couldn't help it."

"Riko already pulled that joke on me today. Not you too!"

Asami let her laughter out, making Korra pout. "How long have I waited for a date like this? Three years?" Asami laughed out loud, clutching her sides. Korra just pouted more and hung her head. Then she smiled and joined in the laughter.

"I guess it is my fault that everyone has these jokes to pull on me." Korra said, blushing.

Asami finally calmed down and tipped Korra's chin for her to look at her. "That may be true, but I still love you." Korra's blush deepened and Asami gently kissed her forehead. "Thank you for taking me for a date like this. Spirits know I needed a break from work."

Korra smiled. Good thing Riko was right about thinking Asami needed a break. "Y-You're welcome. Why don't we eat now? I tried getting food that I knew you liked."

"Oh we're gonna be eating later…" She heard Asami mutter and smirked.

* * *

Karina cuddled up to her wife's form and wrapped her arms around her. Riko sleepily smiled and rested her chin on top of Karina's head, wrapping her arms around her as well. The waterbender slipped her hand under Riko's tank top and rubbed circles onto her abdomen. Riko hummed in relief and within just a few minutes Karina heard her snoring. She chuckled and nestled under her chin. She knew Riko was exhausted from work and so she didn't try any advances on her tonight. Still, it made her feel old that weren't having sex on Valentine's Day like usual. And to think she hasn't even asked if she wanted kids yet.

* * *

Similarly, Korra hugged Asami from behind as they watched the Sun set from inside their blanket bundle, with Naga acting as their pillow. Korra rested her head on her wife's shoulder, coercing Asami to kiss her on the cheek. The Avatar blushed and pulled Asami in closer. They shared a quick kiss before turning back to the setting Sun.

At some point, Asami twisted around so that she was resting on Korra. After some time, Korra heard a faint snore from below. She looked down and smiled to see her beautiful wife fast asleep on her chest. So much for the sex she was insinuating earlier. But Korra knew better. Asami needed rest from her job. She carefully twisted her around so that she was fully facing her and picked her up as if she were a child. Asami threw her arms around her in her sleep. Korra chuckled quietly and motioned Naga to follow her home.


	17. Ch 17 Victim or Survivor? SVU AU Part 1

**A/N: Partly inspired by RCPD (LOK story on here) but more from my obsession with Law and Order SVU and NCIS.**

 **Info to know: Lieutenant (Tenzin) Captain (Kuvira). Lin is Defense Attorney. Korra, Mako, and Bolin are officers. Baatar Jr. is computer genius and profiler. Asami is psychiatrist. Opal is mortician.**

* * *

Tiny footsteps dashed up the stairs as two people began fighting. Female shrills interrupted the night. Someone hit a woman. A lamp fell, shattering on wooden floor. Suddenly the woman couldn't breathe and punched at the man above her until she couldn't move anymore. He let her go, then wandered to the fridge looking for a beer. As he drank from a can, he glared at the body on the floor, watching for any sudden movement. He finished the drink and kicked the motionless body. He huffed and carried her outside.

* * *

"Gear up! Got a body on North Avenue!" Kuvira yelled into the office room.

Korra jumped out of her seat, tapping her holster for reassurance. Her two partners do the same and run after their lieutenant.

 _November 3rd, 2015_

 _8:47am_

 _Bronx Park_

It's a cool autumn day. Tree leaves had long since gone brown and red and had fallen to the ground. It was what lied under the leaves that mattered. A biker had reported a foul smell coming just off of the trail to an officer patrolling the park. He walked down the slight hill where he found a pile of leaves. The stench was horrid and when he tried to knock the leaves away with his foot, a body was revealed.

Korra scowled with her arms crossed while a mortician examined the body for them. The woman had several burns along her arms and legs. A large cut went across her forehead.

Korra's thoughts were interrupted when the body was bagged. Mako stood in front of her with something in his hand. "We'll get more info when Opal can examine the body. But for now, they found this in her back pocket."

Mako placed a small photograph in her palm. A man and woman sat with a little girl in the woman's lap. A Christmas tree stood in the background. "This must be her and her family." Korra commented. "We've got a lead at least. See if Opal can compare the woman's age to her age in this photo. Who knows if this family is around anymore either? I'll question people around the park if they saw anything."

* * *

 _November 3rd, 2015_

 _11:09am_

 _NYPD Morgue_

"Okay, I'd say our Jane Doe's approximate age now is 34. I analyzed the photo and compared to her now and I'd say that the photo is about four or five years old.

"Opal…"

"Meaning that the child in this photo is probably ten years old in the present; the man probably 37."

"Opal, slow down."

"You should check for them or any other family to notify of her passing. The cause of death…"

"Opal!" Bolin yelled, grabbing her by her shoulders. "Breathe." The girl blushed and nodded. Bolin chuckled. "We really gotta work on that hyperactivity."

"Yeah, sure. Uh, anyway, I'd say the cause of death was asphyxia. You see the marks around her neck?" Opal continued more calmly. Bolin nodded as he looked over the body. "She was strangled to death. Her other injuries were premortem; the burns, bruises, and cuts."

They looked back up at the same time, catching each other's gaze. Opal blushed again. "Um, Jr. is working on her identity."

"Um, okay." Bolin replied, but remained standing there.

Opal giggled and motioned him to the door. "I'll let you know when I figure out the time of death. You should go check on the computer geek to see if he's found anything."

Korra saw Bolin return in the corner of her eye and motioned him over to the dry-board. A large photo of their victim was taped to the top of the board along with what info they knew about her underneath. Bolin stopped next to his brother. Kuvira stood in front of them, waiting on the man.

"What did Opal find so far?" Kuvira asked.

"Oh! Uh, our Jane Doe died of asphyxia. All of her other injuries happened before she died."

"Well she's not a Jane Doe anymore." Mako commented.

"She's not?" Bolin asked in surprise.

"Yep," Kuvira stated, pointing to a name under the photo. "Baatar Jr. identified her. Name's Sydney Walker, age 34. Waitress at a local diner. I need someone to see if her boss or coworkers know anything."

Mako and Korra eyed each other and immediately began walking out. Kuvira spoke directly to Bolin. "Guess you're with me again. Her last known address was 219 Boxx Street. Let's go check to see if anyone's home."

* * *

 _November 3rd, 2015_

 _2:14pm_

 _Max's Diner_

The door dinged as Korra and Mako walked into an old diner in a local market. A waitress instantly walked up to them with a smile and asked if she could get them seats. Korra shook her head and held up her badge. "Is your boss around? We need to ask some questions."

The blonde frowned and went behind the counter to talk to an older man. He looked up in surprise as she whispered in his ear, then he quickly walked over to them. "What can I do for you officers?"

"Does a woman named Sydney Walker work here?" Mako asked.

The man scoffed and threw his dish rag over his shoulder. "That girl hasn't shown up in days. Consider her fired. Why?"

The two officers glanced at each other before Korra produced a photo from her pocket. It was of the girl on the examiner's table. "Maybe this will jog your memory."

The man looked back and gasped. "She's dead?!" Korra nodded. "H-How? She was healthy for all I know."

"We're still figuring that out." Korra lied. "Is there anything you know about her family?"

The man seemed flabbergasted when suddenly the other waitress spoke up from behind the counter. "Their relationship wasn't good." All three of them looked at her in wonder. She sighed and walked away from the counter. "From what I know, her husband was abusive. Lately she had been talking about leaving him to keep their daughter safe. I could tell things were getting worse when she didn't bother covering up the bruises."

"How often did that happen?" Mako asked, pulling out a notepad.

The woman shrugged. "She mostly worked while her daughter was at school. I don't know if she did that to protect the girl or what. But she was almost always hurt somehow."

"Do you know what the husband does for a living?" Korra asked.

The waitress waved her hand in the air as she thought. "Um, I think he hopped around from doing construction and plumbing and labor of the sorts. They aren't the wealthiest people, officer."

Korra and Mako glanced at each other again. "Well, I guess that's all for now." Mako said. "We might be back if we have more questions. Thank you for your time."

* * *

 _November 3rd, 2015_

 _2:55pm_

 _Boxx Street_

Kuvira knocked on the door to apartment 219. Bolin stood behind her scanning the neighborhood. The door creaked open and a scruffy man stood there. "Can I help you?"

Kuvira showed her badge. "Police business. Does Sydney Walker live here?"

The man huffed and took a step back. "She did, but she left a few days ago."

Kuvira rose a brow as she got a glance at the inside of the home. "Are you the husband? Why did she leave? "

"Yeah, I'm her husband, Derek. We got into an argument. It's not uncommon, but then she left. Tried taking our daughter with her but I wouldn't let her. She said she'd be back with a lawyer to get her but I haven't seen her since. Did something happen?"

"She's missing." Kuvira lied.

"Where's your daughter now, sir?" Bolin asked with a slightly nicer voice.

"She's staying with our cousins. I actually have to go pick her up in a little bit, so if you don't mind…" He said as he reached for his jacket.

Kuvira eyed him for a minute. "Do you mind if we search your home? Maybe she left something behind that might help us find her."

Bolin glanced at her, but then immediately looked at the father. "Um, I really need to get going. I doubt she even left anything important here. We're not very wealthy. You might have better luck with her friends at work. Can we just do this later?"

"Sure, sir. Would tonight be better?" Kuvira asked nicely. Now Bolin definitely knew something was up.

"Um, maybe the morning would be better. You'd have all day to search without us in the way when I take her to school."

"Okay, sir. Thank you for your time."

Kuvira guided Bolin back to the squad car. She drove around the corner and stopped just a block away from the apartment. "Captain, what's going on?"

"Don't you think he's acting a little odd? He admitted that they fight a lot, then tried to change the subject to their daughter then to her work. He wouldn't let us in the house even though he thinks she's missing. I've just got a weird feeling about this guy."

"Yeah, he did seem a little weird." Bolin commented.

The man soon skipped down the stairs to his car and drove away. Kuvira tailed a short distance behind him. "So we're following him to see if he really picks up his daughter?"

Kuvira smirked. "Correct. See, you're starting to pick up on things, newbie. While you're at it, call your brother. I want a warrant to search the apartment."

* * *

 _November 3rd, 2015_

 _3:13pm_

 _Bedford Elementary School_

"Thanks so much for your help. We really appreciate it." Korra thanked the principal of the nearest elementary school to woman's address. She had asked for any students with the last name Walker and found one match who looked strikingly like the girl in the Christmas photo. The daughter did go to school here, but she'd been absent for 5 days. They talked to her teacher, who said that girl often kept to herself. When she had gotten close to her, she said she had seen bruises on her arms. She reported it, but the school was taking it's time. The teacher said that if she was being abused, it didn't start until a month or two ago.

As Korra was exiting the school, her phone rang. "Korra here."

Bolin spoke on the other side of the phone. "We visited the apartment. Husband was home, acted odd. He wouldn't let us in. Did you find the school the daughter went to?"

Korra stopped in the courtyard as kids were beginning to leave the building. "Yeah, I'm just now leaving."

"Let me guess, the girl wasn't there."

"Nope. They say she's been absent for 5 days today. On the border of calling home if she misses too many days."

"We need a warrant for the apartment. He's hiding something for sure."

"I'm on it, Bo."

* * *

Kuvira continued to follow the man's car. They were driving awfully far to visit a relative. They went as far as the pier, which is where Derek stopped. The captain pulled over before he could spot them.

"Why's he stopping here? He said he was picking up his daughter." Bolin questioned curiously.

Kuvira didn't bother responding and simply watched him. The man walked up to the pier and leaned against a wooden docking log. He just stared out into the ocean forever.

Kuvira suddenly growled. "He's wasting time. He must know we followed him."

"Maybe not…" Boling commented as Derek suddenly began walking away towards a seafood restaurant just down the block. Kuvira jumped out of the car as he disappeared. "Stay here, Bolin."

Kuvira dashed into an alley and peaked out of the corner to the window. Derek was shaking hands with another man and they sat down together at a table. A closer look revealed that the man was a wanted felon for prostitution. 'What's going on here?'

The Captain grabbed her walkie-talkie. "Bolin, we've got a problem. Derek is meeting with wanted felon Zaheer Lotus. Hold on… I think he just passed Derek a check."

Bolin gasped at the name. "Lotus?! Should I call backup?"

"No. Call Korra. If she's got the warrant I want her at the apartment _now_. We need to find either evidence that Derek did this or find his daughter."

* * *

 _November 3rd, 2015_

 _6:02pm_

 _Boxx Street_

Korra stared down the apartment intensely. A nudge to her shoulder broke her out of the trance. "C'mon, they may be 30 minutes away, but he could leave their sight at any moment. We need to get in and out before he comes back." Mako explained.

Korra nodded and they both got out to enter the building. She kept an eye out for anyone nearby while Mako picked the lock. With a click, they were in. They scanned the first floor before starting to take a closer look at things. The place was rundown. However, besides the messiness, they could tell a scuffle of some sort took place in the living room. The rug was shoved against the wall. A photo frame and a lamp were shattered on the ground. The curtains were barely hanging onto the wall.

"Something definitely happened here. No wonder he didn't want Captain in." Korra commented as she found spot of dry blood on the couch.

Suddenly her phone buzzed. "Korra, he's leaving the diner. It looks like he's headed back home. You've got less than 30 minutes to do what you need to and leave."

Korra scoffed as she picked up the frame. "We've got a warrant. He doesn't have a choice but to let us in."

"I know, Korra." Kuvira growled. "But I'd rather he not know we were there. We need him to think we're on his side until we figure out what happened."

Korra motioned to the disfigured couch for Mako to take pictures of the scene. "Kuvira, something definitely happened here. There are signs of a fight. I think this is the perfect time to bring him in and question him."

Kuvira was about to reply sarcastically when suddenly there was a loud thump from upstairs. Korra instantly put down the photo and grabbed her gun. Mako copied her just as fast. "Captain, I'm gonna have to call you back."

"Korra, I'm trying to tell you it might be the kid!" Kuvira yelled.

Korra froze and glanced at Mako. "I'll let you know what it is, Kuvira." She put her phone back in her pocket. "Be careful. She says it might be the kid." She relayed to her partner.

Mako nodded and together they scan the upstairs rooms one by one. They didn't have long before Derek would be back. The first room they stumbled upon was the parents' room. Korra quickly covered the room and found blood-spotted bedsheets and a tray of cigarettes. "Guess we know how she was burned now." She commented. Before her partner could reply, another bump came from the next room.

One stood on each side and Korra nodded at him to enter. Mako kicked down the door with his gun drawn and Korra ran in behind him. She gasped when she saw what was making the noise.

A young child was crying on the bed. Her hands were tied to the headboard. There was some blood on the single sheet underneath her. The room had a certain stench to it. Korra's heart dropped as she soon realized what had been taking place in this room.

Korra put her gun away and showed her palms to the girl cautiously. "It's okay, kid. We're police. We're here to help. Can I untie you?"

The girl nodded and shook as Korra carefully stepped closer and untied the rope. As soon as she was released, the girl caved in on herself. Korra carefully pulled her into her lap. She removed her jacket and placed it around the child. "What's your name?"

"Riko Walker… What's yours?" The girl sniffled as her tears stopped.

Korra squeezed her eyes shut. They found the daughter. "I'm Officer Korra Sato. I'm here to help you."

Mako stared at them in astonishment. "Uh, Korra, she needs to go to the hospital."

The woman sighed. "Right. C'mon, he's gonna be here soon."

Suddenly the front door slammed open and shut. Korra jumped up, wide-eyed. "Shit! That can't be him already!"

Mako shut the door and hid behind the backside of the door. Korra nodded and patted the girl's back. "Sweetie, just stay right here on the bed. Don't move, even if your father comes in."

Riko nodded and shuffled to the corner of the bed. Korra stood in front of the bed, almost as if to shield her, and pulled out her gun once again. She would not let anything happen to this girl again, not as long as she had something to say about it.


	18. Ch 18 Victim or Survivor? SVU AU Part 2

Korra steeled her grip on her gun as marching could be heard up the steps.

"Riko! Sweetie, we have to leave!" The yell was cut off as the father barged into the bedroom.

Korra stood opposite of him with her gun raised. "Derek Walker, you're under arrest."

The man chuckled in reply. "Oh no. You don't have me yet." He then pulled out a switchblade from his pocket.

Korra shifted her weight. "Derek, if you come at me, I won't have any choice but to shoot you. And I'd rather not kill a father in front of his daughter."

"Heh, you won't kill me."

Korra took a step back and looked past Derek. The man noticed the glance and turned around in time to steady himself as Mako tackled him. The two fell to the floor, wrestling over the knife.

The blade fell from Derek's hand and Korra kicked it under the bed. The two men continued to fight. Derek suddenly pushed Mako up and punched him in the face. Derek rushed to his feet and reached out for his daughter. However, Korra tackled him into the wall before he could even touch the girl. "Don't you dare touch her!"

"I didn't do anything! You've got no proof!" Derek started screaming with his face shoved into the wall. Mako regained his balance and helped handcuff the man. Police sirens started approaching the street and sudden footsteps dashed up the stairs. Kuvira and Bolin skidded into the room to find Mako telling Derek his rights and Korra was comforting the child.

Bolin sighed in relief while Kuvira scoffed. "You two always get the arrest."

Korra picked up the girl, still wrapped up in her jacket. "I'm gonna ride with her to the hospital."

Kuvira nodded and let her through. "I'm gonna let Mako and Bolin handle this guy then."

Korra paused before continuing down the stairs. "That's fine."

* * *

 _~ warning for emotional distress caused by abuse_

 _November 3rd, 2015_

 _9:44pm_

 _New York Memorial Hospital_

Riko's emotional distress during the examination only confirmed Korra's worst fear. The doctor told her officially for the record. Riko was raped and abused by her own father. The police officer had to step out of the room for a few minutes to calm down her rattled nerves. They had found the body of a woman just that morning, and by nightfall the husband was arrested and the daughter was in the hospital. It's not often a case gets solved so quickly, but things weren't over yet.

Korra knocked on the door to let the young child know she was coming in. The girl sniffled as she glanced up. She quickly wiped away her tears and sat up straight. "You're the one who saved me."

The officer smiled gently. "Yes, my name's Korra, remember? I'm a detective. I need to ask you some questions."

Riko pulled the blanket closer to her. "Okay…"

Korra nodded and sat down in the chair. "Alright, when's the last time you saw your mother?"

New tears appeared in the kid's eyes. "A week ago… She's dead, isn't she?"

Korra tensed up as she listened to the girl breakdown again. "I'm sorry, dear. She has passed on."

Riko suddenly lurched forward, trying to hide her tears. "Daddy did it! I always heard them fighting and then one day last week it just stopped and daddy kept me locked up! He wouldn't let me leave the house even go to school!"

"I'm so sorry, Riko. Did he ever hit you?" Korra asked carefully.

Riko nodded. "Yeah, he started hitting me around a few months ago. Then daddy started picking me up from school. He…"

Korra eyed her shaking form. "Riko, what did he do to you then?"

The child sniffed and rubbed her eyes again. "He started touching me, like how daddy used to touch mommy. She found out and she tried to leave with me, but daddy wouldn't let us leave! He pushed her into the wall and I ran upstairs. I didn't see anything else, but I could hear them fighting. When I came out the next morning, mommy was gone and daddy locked me in my room!"

"Shh, shh! It's okay, dear. You don't have to tell me everything at once. He's not gonna hurt you anymore." Korra soothed her and rubbed her back.

The girl cried for a few more minutes before speaking up again. "After mommy disappeared, everything got so much worse…"

"He's going to pay for it. You don't have to worry about that."

 _~ end trigger scene_

* * *

 _Nov 4th, 2015_

 _9:18am_

 _NYPD Interrogation Room #3_

"I want a lawyer."

Mako scoffed and dropped a folder on the table. "That's what every guilty man says, Derek. Are you guilty of something?"

"Oh please, I didn't do anything but what was best for my family."

Bolin stood behind his brother with his arms crossed, looking unconvinced. "Well this must be quite a coincidence then. For us to find your house the way it was…"

"I didn't do any of that."

"Sir, you had the whole night to rest and get your story together, so I'm just going to get straight to the point." Mako started. "What's been going on in your house since your wife went missing?"

Derek growled. "That brat is setting me up."

"Who? Your daughter? Derek, do you really think she's capable of that?" Bolin asked.

The man remained quiet and hung his head. There was really no point in lying about the situation they found the girl in.

"But as you said, you want a lawyer. So I guess we'll have to wait-" Mako was shortly interrupted.

"I never touched my daughter if that's what you're thinking."

"That's not really what we're here to discuss. Test results will show what really happened to your daughter. No, right now we wanna talk about Sydney." Bolin spoke up.

Derek scoffed and spit blood on the ground from where he had been punched during the fight. "Fine, have you even found my wife yet?"

The room went quiet before Mako spoke up. "Tell me again when the last time you saw her was."

"I told your partner there I saw her 6 nights ago now! I threw her outside when she tried to take Riko. Do you think I did something to her?!"

"In fact, I do!" Mako replied. "You were the last person to see her. I need details of that night."

Derek sighed and slouched in his seat. "We got into a fight that evening. She didn't like that I started picking Riko up from school. I just wanted to help. She's the one with the job after all. But she wasn't happy about it and tried to take my daughter away. She was way too angry for the situation and I told her to come back later when she calmed down so we could talk like civil adults. She left. Her last words as she walked down the street were something along the lines of getting a lawyer."

Mako held a stoic look on his face. "That's quite a story Mr. Walker. A jury might buy it."

Derek growled again. "It's not a story. It's the truth."

Mako shuffled through some papers before producing a photo. "Is this what Sydney looked like the last time you saw her?"

Derek gasped and shakily reached for the photo of his wife on the examiner's table. "She… She's dead? How?!"

Mako shook his head. "You tell us."

Derek barred his teeth and jumped from his seat. "I didn't do this! She was alive the last time I saw her!"

Mako stood up and stared him down. "We found blood in several areas of your home! I'd be willing to bet it'll come back as Sydney's DNA! There were obvious signs of abuse all over the place! Now you look me in the eye and say that none of this is your fault even a little bit!"

Derek went wide-eyed and slowly retreated back to his seat.

Mako sighed and turned to the door. "Bolin, can you get some coffee for our guest? He's going to be here for a while."

Lieutenant Tenzin and DA Bei Fong stood in front of the glass panel looking unimpressed. "His story has holes in it." Mako said to them. Bolin left the room after him and fetched coffee.

"What would those be exactly, Detective?" Tenzin asked.

"He first said he threw her out of the house, but then changed it so that she left willingly. Also, he has no alibi for that night, other than the fight."

Lin spoke up tensely. "Look, the small details are superficial in a case like this. That won't hold in court. You need something more definitive than something that could simply be a memory issue. Who's to say that he's telling the truth and she was killed after she left the apartment?"

"Lin, there was blood all over the house." Mako replied.

"Yes, but just as you said, there were signs of long-term abuse. We can't say for certain how the blood got there."

"I've got something more definitive." A new voice spoke up from behind them. They turned around to see Korra. "Sorry I'm late. What did he have to say?"

Mako scoffed and glanced at the glass panel. "What they all say: he didn't do it."

"What do you have, Korra?" Tenzin asked impatiently.

Korra held up a folder of paperwork. "Riko Walker's test results. Doctor said she was abused and raped by someone with the same DNA as hers. Derek is the only male relative she has. I talked to her to make sure and she confirmed that the rape started a week ago and she's been physically abused for the past four months."

They all turned to Lin, who sighed and rubbed her forehead. "That does clarify as important evidence. Good work, Korra. Now if you would excuse me, I shouldn't even be hearing all of this until the case is wrapped up. You all know that. Come find me when you're finished." Before she disappeared, she had one last thing to say. "Also, it seems odd for abuse to start so randomly. Find out what caused this shift in behavior."

Korra blinked and thought back to all they knew about the case so far. Lin was right. The wife had been abused at least two years before he switched to the daughter. What happened four months ago?

As Bei Fong left, Bolin came running in. "Korra, the hospital called! They say something's wrong with the girl!"

Korra wasted no time and grabbed her jacket as she ran out of the office.

* * *

 _November 4th, 2015_

 _10:33am_

 _New York Memorial Hospital_

"Oh, Detective! This way!"

"I know where her room is!" Korra responded as she ran past the desk. She dashed through the hall, avoiding other patients and nurses. As she skidded to a stop outside of the girl's room, she heard childish screams and nurses trying to calm her down. She barged in.

"Oh good, you're here Korra!" The doctor hissed as she held a needle in her hand and failed repeatedly to administer the medicine. "Do you think you can help?"

Korra nodded and pushed through the nurses in the way who were trying to hold her down. Since her hands were held down, she gently tipped her chin back to force her to see her. "K-Korra?"

"Yeah, it's me Riko. I'm here to help, remember?" Korra tried to persuade.

Riko shook her head roughly, making Korra worry she could give herself whiplash. "N-No! Get away! Don't touch me!"

Korra quickly sat behind her and pulled her into her lap. The nurses were forced to let go as the detective wrapped her arms around the young child, keeping her still. She laid her legs over her as to keep her from kicking. She nodded to the doctor, but also whispered in the girl's ear. "It's okay, Riko. No one is going to hurt you here. Remember, I'll keep you safe. They just want to help."

Riko shook as the needle was injected and continued to push against Korra's arms. It took a few minutes, but eventually the girl began to calm down thanks to the medicine. Just as Korra was about the let her go and let her lay down, Riko suddenly tried to jump from her grasp again. Luckily Korra reacted fast enough to stop an elbow to her face. "Whoa kid, that was quite sneaky."

Riko couldn't respond as the medicine really was starting to take effect. She slouched back against the detective as sleep took over her body. "Get some rest. I'll be here when you wake up."

The child finally closed her eyes as she was laid back onto the bed. Korra cautiously slid off of the bed. The nurses slowly proceeded with needed tests as the doctor motioned Korra outside with her. She stepped outside of the room with her hands shoved in her pockets. "What's going on here?"

"Well, Detective, she appeared to have a panic attack once a male nurse tried to give her medicine. Now I know we usually keep same-sex nurses with cases like this, but it was just a simple injection in her IV. We didn't think she'd freak out so much. She punched the man and tried to run away."

"And this is the result of that?" Korra asked.

The doctor nodded. "Yes, other nurses ran in to help. They paged me, wanting me to give her an anesthesia to calm her down so they could continue with the tests."

The hall went quiet as Korra lowered her head. The other woman spoke up again. "I think she needs a psych evaluation, maybe even stay inpatient for a few days until she sorts through whatever she's going through."

Korra immediately looked up again. "You think it's that bad?"

"I do. This isn't the first time she's had a panic attack like this. Shortly after you left last night, she was unable to sleep and ended up driving herself into mania. We had to sedate her then, as well. She woke up a few hours later and began crying and screaming at every person who entered her room. And then what you just saw was after a male nurse attempted to administer medicine. I do believe this goes beyond physical injury." The doctor explained.

Korra slowly nodded her head. "Okay… If you really think so, do what you need to. Please let me know about whatever you plan."

After talking with the doctor, Korra wandered to the third floor where she knew a certain person would be. She glanced at the sign above the double doors. 'Psychiatric Ward'. They could possibly send Riko here if she doesn't get better.

Korra sighed and walked into the hall of offices. '307 – Sato.' The detective sighed and knocked on the door that was partway open. She really hoped she wasn't with a patient right now. She peered into the doctor's therapy room/office. Past the empty couches and bookshelves stood a large desk covered in paperwork. There she saw her favorite person in the whole wide world scribbling notes like the nerd she was. She still hadn't looked up, even after Korra knocked a second time.

"Paging Dr. Sato. You're amazing, dorky wife is here." Korra mimicked an intercom.

The doctor blinked and looked up in confusion, then smiled brightly. "Korra! What're you doing here?!" The woman dashed out of her seat and hugged her tightly.

Korra returned the smile just as bright. "I was in the area and wanted to know if you wanted to sneak out for lunch."

Asami chuckled and grabbed Korra's hand. "I would love to dear. Just give me a few minutes."

Korra nodded and began looking around the room. "It looks like you've been busy."

The doctor sighed and shuffled her papers around on her desk. "I'm always busy, hun."

"I know, but I meant more busy than usual. You were also quite happy to see me when I walked in." Korra responded.

Asami finished stacking her papers and returned to her wife's side. She began pulling her out of the building in search of food. "Yes well, there's talk of getting a new child patient, which is always scary. They already filed paperwork for her to be a patient of mine, too."

The detective blinked. "You're getting her?!"

Asami stopped to look at her. "What're you talking about? You know who it is?"

Korra gulped. "Riko Walker?" The other woman nodded while wide-eyed. "Yeah, that's the girl we rescued last night. I didn't think her mental state was that bad, though."

"I wouldn't be so sure, either. But that's why they have psychiatrists like me to evaluate her."

Korra gave a small smile. "If anyone can help her, it's you."

Asami shook her head good-naturedly. "I'm sure you've helped her a lot already. I know you. But enough about work. I'm hungry and I want ramen."

"Tsk, that's all you ever eat! No, we're going to an actual diner this time. You know, good ole homemade food that I can never cook because I burn everything?"

Asami smiled at the several memories that came to mind of her wife attempting to cook a decent meal. "Okay, fine. I could use a change in pace."

"Good. Besides, we need to talk about Christmas gifts for everyone!"

"Korra, already? Christmas is still two months away."

Korra scowled and wrapped an arm around her wife's shoulder. "It's only 52 days away. If we don't start now, all of the good gifts will be taken!" Asami sighed happily as Korra guided her to a nearby restaurant. The woman had gone quiet until they reached the door. "What should we even get Mako and Bolin?"

Asami giggled and patted the woman's hand. "Do we really go through this every year? You know Mako doesn't really care and Bolin will be happy with anything! But I do know alcohol makes them happy."

Korra frowned as memories of last Christmas came to the forefront. "Umm, no let's not do alcohol gifts this year. That turned out awful last time. I think I'm still mentally scarred from it."

A waitress led them to a two person table and retrieved their requested drinks. Meanwhile, Asami traced the lines on Korra's hand. "You know, if you're that mentally scarred, I can help with that."

The doctor looked up in time to see a dark blush across the detective's face along with a playful smile. "You know I'll accept that offer no matter what."

Asami laughed and pressed her thumb into the woman's hand. "You better. We haven't had any alone time in weeks."


	19. Ch 19 Victim or Survivor? SVU AU Part 3

**A/N: IMPORTANT! I had a sudden revelation and "Austin Fenton (the pimp)" is now Zaheer. I don't know why I didn't think of using Zaheer in the first place, but he's in the story now to replace the real bad guy. I will make the changes needed in the previous Law/Order parts. Thanks again for reading!**

* * *

 _November 5th, 2015_

 _11:39am_

 _NYPD Interrogation Room #3_

"If you had nothing to do with any of this, then why did you meet with Zaheer Lotus?" Bolin asked roughly.

The room remained quiet except for the detective's sigh a moment later. Derek had been uncooperative all day, deciding to remain silent instead. Mako had already left, excusing himself to a lunch break. However, Bolin was determined to get this guy to talk.

Just as Bolin was about to speak again, Derek interrupted him. "I need to confess something…"

Bolin kept his façade up, but looking into the other man's eyes told him that whatever he was about to say was going to change everything.

* * *

 _November 5th, 2015_

 _10:45am_

 _New York Memorial Hospital_

Korra hesitantly knocked on the doorway leading to her current victim. The young child looked up and pouted. "You said you'd be here when I woke up."

The detective smiled apologetically and sat down next to her. "I know. I'm sorry I'm late, but I have someone with me that I want you to meet."

Riko swiftly grabbed her hand as the woman motioned for someone to enter. She gulped as she saw probably the most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes on. Her jet black hair was thrown into a loose ponytail and her ruby red lips were in a faint smile. Korra interrupted her thoughts. "This is Asami Sato. She's my wife, but to you she's your new doctor for the time being."

Riko looked to the detective in confusion. "New doctor?"

Korra bit her lip. No one must've told the girl about the change. "Yeah, you're gonna get a new room closer to her so she can help you, um, deal with everything that's happened." The young child scooted back in nervousness and averted her eyes. "Would you like to introduce yourself?"

Riko looked back hesitantly and shrugged. Asami stepped forward and placed a hand on Korra's shoulder. "Hi, you can call me Asami. What's your name?"

The girl huffed in an attempt to control her breathing. "Riko…"

Asami smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you, Riko. I know change can be hard, but you don't wanna stay in here forever, do you?"

Riko continued to stare at her bedsheets and shrugged. Asami blinked in shock. Tears slowly fell from the girl's eyes. Korra quickly jumped to action and hugged her. "I thought I was safe here." She cried.

Realization struck both women. Korra cooed soothingly in her ear and Asami sat at the end of the bed. "You're still safe, Riko. I trust Asami with my life. I wouldn't give you to just anyone. I promise she'll keep you safe."

Amidst her crying, Riko nodded her head. 

"I'll be back to check on you later, okay?" Korra said as she shut the door to the girl's new room. She sighed tiredly as she stood outside the room.

"I can see you've already bonded with her." Asami commented.

Korra sighed. "Are you sure she's gonna be okay?"

Asami nodded surely. "Yes, sweetie. She's in good hands with me, you know that. I'm not get a chance to sit down and talk with her until tomorrow, though."

"That's okay. I thinks she needs time to settle in anyway." Korra replied. "I guess I'm headed back to the office. Call me if anything comes up."

Asami rolled her eyes and nodded. Korra landed a swift kiss on her cheek before running away. The doctor blushed, then chuckled. Her wife always had a way to cheer her up. She glanced back at the door of her newest patient and sighed. She needed to get things ready for their session before her long schedule today.

* * *

 _November 5th, 2015_

 _12:47pm_

 _NYPD Office_

Korra walked into the office to see a winded Mako splayed across his chair. "Long day?"

Her partner sighed roughly, running a hand over his face. "That man hasn't talked all day. Bolin is in there still. He thinks he's gonna be the one to get him to talk."

Korra scowled. "He's lucky I haven't got a chance at him yet."

Just as Korra was about to walk away, Mako's phone buzzed once. He lazily glanced at it before jumping out of his seat and powerwalked to the interrogation rooms. "Mako, what is it?"

"Bolin just texted me. Said to get over there ASAP." 

Bolin sat down in the chair and acted like he was attentive to what the man was saying. Meanwhile, he discreetly texted his brother to get over there. He had only looked down for four seconds and Derek didn't seem to notice.

"I never intended for any of this to happen. I was just trying to support my family. I should've known he would turn on me once I wasn't useful anymore."

Bolin angled his head. "You mean Zaheer Lotus?"

Derek nodded. "Yeah, I had been working for him for the past year. He's been in control of the local prostitution market. My job was to keep his workers in control, help find new recruits, and above all make sure he got his money."

"From my understanding, you were doing manual labor jobs during the day, but your wife was bringing in the real money."

"Yeah, but we still couldn't pay our bills. My new work helped a lot."

Bolin squinted his eyes. "So what changed?"

Derek sighed. "Zaheer started trafficking children a few months ago. I wanted nothing to do with it and tried to back out, but he threatened me and my family."

"You say you wanted out, but my partner saw you meet with Zaheer the day you were arrested. She saw him hand you a check."

Derek suddenly jumped in his seat. "He wanted to 'buy' my daughter! I was pretending to take his deal! He had already killed my wife! I was going to take the check and run for the hills with Riko!"

Bolin went wide-eyed as the truth finally came out. "What do you mean he killed your wife?"

Derek roughly ran a hand through his short hair. "This whole thing is about that night we had a fight. I told you the truth that we had an argument about our daughter, but I kept out the part where Zaheer showed up at our door trying to intimidate me. I didn't let him in at first, but it's not hard to break into a rundown apartment in our part of town."

Bolin carefully listened to the man's story. He felt that he was being honest.

"He came in while we were arguing. I tried to get him out, but Sydney wanted answers. She had figured out that something was going on with Riko. She pushed me away from the door in rage, and while her back was turned Zaheer bashed a lamp over her head. I freaked out and punched him, but one of his lackeys ran in and pulled gun on me…"

Derek started crying. "She had no idea what I was into and just like that she was pulled into it. I was held hostage while Zaheer choked Sydney to death! I was powerless to stop it!"

The so-called man cried for a few minutes and tried to pull himself together enough to tell Bolin everything. "He left her body for me to take care of. He said if I didn't cooperate that Riko would be next. I couldn't let that happen. I did what I could to keep us safe for the meantime."

Bolin sat still, trying to put some of his thoughts together. "So then…if you love Riko so much, why was she so injured when we found her?"

Derek sniffled and hid his face in his arms. "I hurt her. I feel like the worst piece of shit in the world, but I admit I did all of those things to her. I'm so sorry!"

Bolin asked one question in shock. "Why?"

New tears formed in the man's eyes. "It started when Zaheer started the trafficking, when I tried to back out. I stopped showing up to his hideout and so money was low again. I was mad at myself for everything that was happening and I took it out on my family."

Korra and Mako had long since gone wide-eyed and continued to stare through the glass panel. Mako's coffee had gone cold as he was unable to stomach it. Korra found herself hating this case more and more each day. Bolin eventually came out of the interrogation room.

"How do you know he's telling the truth, Bo'?" Mako asked tiredly.

"It connects the dots, doesn't it? Mako, he just confessed about the abuse and the murder. Besides, I can feel the sincerity in his words." Bolin explained.

Korra scowled. "Yeah, but apparently Zaheer is the one behind the murder. If everything Derek just said is true, this is a lot bigger than just an abuse case. We got a big problem in this city if Zaheer is trafficking sex."

* * *

 _November 5th, 2015_

 _7:01pm_

 _New York Memorial Hospital – Psychiatric Ward_

Asami finished up the last of her reports for the day and locked up her office. She took a few steps toward the exit, but stopped herself as she thought back to the girl from earlier. Korra would probably want to hear something good about her when she got home.

So the doctor turned back around to the patients' hall. A few were in the lounge watching a football game. Others hid alone in their rooms. As she neared her destination, she saw a nurse hanging outside of the doorway. The woman greeted her with a smile. Asami glanced past her to see her newest patient sitting crisscross on the floor, wrapped in a blanket, and intently watching the others in the lounge. She returned the smile to the nurse before kneeling down to the child.

"Riko, what're you doing on the floor?"

The young girl whipped her head back. "Uhh, uhh, I don't know. I wanted to come out of my room, but those people scare me…"

Asami chuckled and rose a brow at the nurse, who shrugged good-naturedly. The doctor was glad someone had enough common sense to sit with the child, seeing as she's so young and vulnerable to new people.

"Why do they scare you? They won't hurt you. They're all here to get help like you." Asami replied.

Riko shrugged and averted her eyes. Asami looked back up to the lounge and noticed that it was mostly men there, except for an old woman sitting in a rocking chair by the window. She figured the girl might have a repressed fear of males after the incident, but at the moment a smile appeared on her face and she grabbed Riko's hand. "Can I introduce you to someone? I think you'll like her."

Riko gulped, but nodded anyway and let the doctor help her stand. Asami held her hand as she guided her through the lounge. She purposely put herself between Riko and the men and was glad for the forethought when the guys suddenly roared in excitement, making the girl jump. Riko slid closer to the doctor for safety.

The gray-haired woman glanced up and smiled once she saw the doctor and her guest. "Why, who is this young lady?"

"Good evening, Katara. This is Riko." Asami nudged the girl forward.

Katara looked at her with a look of knowing. "Oh, so what brings you to my corner?"

"Riko was scared to come into the lounge and I thought you would be a good friend to have in here." Asami replied lightly.

The old woman chuckled and motioned to the second rocking chair next to her. At her feet lay a basket of yarn which she was knitting. "Please be my guest for the evening, Ms. Riko?"

Riko glanced up at her and instantly felt a wave of relief wash over her. Before she knew it, she had nodded and climbed into the chair.

Asami smiled in joy. "Are you gonna be okay with Mrs. Katara, Riko?"

The girl nodded instantly, staring at the woman's working hands. The doctor chuckled. "Okay, just ask Katara if you need anything. I'll see you tomorrow."

She began walking away and noticed Riko's nurse peering around the corner to watch. "Keep an eye on Riko when she's out of the room at all times."

The nurse quickly nodded. "Of course, Dr. Sato. I was thinking the same thing. I'll see you tomorrow."

Riko watched in wonder as in a matter of minutes the old woman next to her had knitted half a scarf. "How do you do that?"

Katara chuckled and lowered her hands. "It takes a lot of practice. Maybe I can teach you if you want."

"Ah, um, maybe another time."

The duo went quiet, except for the men cheering on the game nearby.

"I've been here for years and I've never seen them happier except when watching sports." The woman laughed. Riko looked up at her with questions in her eyes, but Katara continued. "What makes you happy, Riko?"

The girl was caught off-guard by the question and sat quietly as she thought of an answer. "I like being safe."

"Everyone wants safety, but what makes you happy inside?" Katara rephrased.

Riko pouted and crossed her arms. What made her happy? She hadn't witnessed much happiness. "My mom made me happy when she'd pick me up from school and we'd go get ice cream."

Katara smiled sadly. "Is there anything else that makes you happy?"

Riko suddenly smiled faintly. "When Korra comes to see me. She makes me happy."

Katara chuckled again. "Ah, yes, that woman does make a lot of people happy. She has that kind of personality."

"How do you know Korra?" Riko asked curiously.

"Ah, I'm something of a grandma to Korra. I helped her family a lot."

Riko blinked in shock. Korra's so-called grandma was in here? Why? She accidently let the question slip her mouth and jumped in surprise when the woman spoke up again with a laugh.

"Do you think I'm a patient here?" Riko nodded yes and Katara laughed more. "Oh dear, I work here. I give the patients here the medicines they need."

Riko gasped. "Why are you just sitting here then?"

"Well someone has to watch those boys over there."

They looked back to the couch as the men cheered loudly. Both girls laughed together in agreement. Riko finally had a smile on her face again. "But shouldn't you be giving medicine?"

"Most medicine is administered at specific times, hun. We've got an hour until the next round, which is just before lights out. That goes for you too."

"So you'll give me my medicine?"

Katara glanced back to the girl and saw such adoration that it warmed her heart. She decided then and there to be Riko's nurse as long as the child was in their care. "Yes, Riko. Whatever medicine you have, I will be the one to bring it to you."

Riko smiled brightly for the first time in a long time. She turned to look out into the busy world through the window and felt great relief with the setting Sun. Maybe things were finally turning around for her.


	20. Ch 20 Spread Thin: 'Omegaverse' AU PART4

**A/N: YOOOOO WHAT'S POPPING THOOO?! So I took a small break from the law/order au and started brainstorming new short story ideas. I remember quite a lot of people liked the werewolf au and the zombie au. So here's the next installment of "Spread Thin"! I thought a lot about what I could add to the story and couldn't wait to get started on it, so I hope you enjoy. I actually ended up writing so much that it's gonna get split into two parts, so there will be a Part 5 to this as well! :) Also check my deviantart page for a visual of what the ceremony paint looks like and the dance is the Dragon Dance from Avatar.**

 **For anyone who needs a** ** _quick_** **story recap: Asami saved Riko as a cub and together she and Korra raised her. The Avatar Pack didn't agree with it at first but they grew to love her as one of their own. Asami put Riko in school, but the child was bullied. Only one girl, Karina, stood up to the bullies on occasion. They both had crushes on each other, but when Karina offered the werewolf to ice cream, Riko was attacked by a boy who was jealous basically. Eventually Riko stood up to him by shifting to her wolf form. After much explanation, Karina grew more curious than scared. They finished junior and senior years together. And now I present the next part...**

* * *

A year and a half passed happily for the teenagers. As graduation approached, so did Riko's 19th birthday. She tried not to think about what that meant and instead focused on acing her classes and going through the stupid ceremony to please Asami. She really hated getting dressed up, but when she rejoined with her girlfriend afterwards, it was all worth it. Asami had taken tons of pictures.

Karina turned her eyes away from the photo of them kissing in their caps and gowns and started up the stairs to their room, which was still in the wolf's parents' home. She gently pushed open the door and was surprised to hear snoring. Yeah, she and Asami had a long day at the repair shop, but it wasn't that late. Since she started working for the omega, plenty of accidents had happened at the garage, causing them to stay later than usual.

However, she soon realized what had happened when she saw the alpha's hand resting under the waistband of her shorts. Her shirt was tossed and her other hand lay above her head.

Karina sighed sadly as she realized that she had missed an episode of Riko's heat. When she first witnessed it a year ago, she was scared since the alpha pushed her away in fear of hurting her. Through some gentle touches and stern persuasion, Karina got it through the wolf's thick head that she wanted this and was ready for it. Riko was probably more scared than either of them. Karina had never seen the alpha more nervous. She was scared too of course, but she soon found it entertaining and enjoyable. Riko eventually found her own confidence growing from her lover's enthusiasm.

So yes, the human was sad that she had missed another shot at it. She sat next her girlfriend and pulled the blanket over her, then kissed her above her eye. "You couldn't have waited an extra hour or two, could you?"

"Ehh, no." Riko sleepily mumbled. As her lover's scent hit her nose, she regained some awareness. "Hi."

Karina giggled and arched a brow. "Hi yourself. Did you have fun?"

Riko groaned and rolled over to face her. "Not really, would've been more fun with you."

"Which is why you still need to learn restraint. I could've come home and we would've had a lot more fun, but I guess we can't now. I'm gonna take a shower since I'm covered in sweat and oil." Karina said as she walked into the hall to the bathroom.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Riko sitting up and staring after her. She smiled when she heard quick footsteps catch up to her as she opened the bathroom door. She giggled as she was lifted onto the counter and met lips with her girlfriend. She always knew how to get what she wanted.

"You sure you're up for another round?" Karina asked, poking at her ego.

Riko growled dominantly. "Of course I am, as long as you are."

Riko woke up the next morning when she felt something combing through her hair. She peeked her eyes open and saw her girlfriend rubbing her head from above her. She purred and crawled further into Karina's lap. The human smiled and continued the motion, knowing how much the alpha loved having her head rubbed.

"Shouldn't ya'...be a' work?" Riko asked sleepily.

Karina chuckled. "I took the day off. We need some alone time."

Riko forced herself to open her eyes to look up at her. "Does that mean I get tha' day off too?"

"Well, I'd like to say yes. I think Korra can handle a day by herself."

Riko smiled and dropped her head back into her lap. "Good, 'cuz I wanna just lay here with you all day."

Karina smiled sadly, knowing she was probably going to ruin her day later on. It wasn't until after lunch that she actually brought the taboo subject up when they were laying outside under a tree.

"Riko, what're you going to do?"

The wolf frowned and lifted herself on her crossed arms behind her head. She glanced down to her chest where her girlfriend was resting her head. "What're you talking about?"

Karina sighed. "I mean about the ceremony. You have to make a decision. You're 19th birthday is coming up at the end of the month. They already gave you enough leeway when they gave you an extra year to prepare for the ceremony."

Riko huffed. "I'm tired of ceremonies. We just graduated two months ago."

The human scowled and leaned up. "This is more important than graduation. This is the rest of our lives we're talking about."

The alpha stared at her for a few minutes in surprise before she slouched back down and watched the clouds. "I don't know still. It'll completely change everything."

"I'm still going to stand by your side, no matter what."

Riko glanced back up again, noticing that her girlfriend was leaning over her now. "You really mean that? You'll stand by me when the pack is against me? When I have to fight enemies and potentially get hurt? If I get kicked out of the pack and get labeled a rogue again?"

Karina sat in her lap and poked her forehead to silence her. "I will stand with you through all of that and more. I will stay with you when you're sad, happy, excited, injured, and sick. Okay? I love you."

Riko froze, then smiled brightly as a tear made its way to her eye. "I love you too."

* * *

Night had long since fallen and the whole pack finished setting up. Riko gulped as they approached the fire pit where everyone was waiting. She felt something firmly grasp her hand and she saw Karina slide up to her out of the corner of her eye. The girl gave her a bright smile. "Are you ready?"

Riko settled her hoarse breathing and nodded. "Let's do this."

Karina carefully guided her to the ceremony circle. Korra, Asami, and Kohaku met with them before she entered the ring. Korra squeezed her shoulder in reassurance and sent her on her way to the fire pit. Karina stayed put with the family as she watched the love of her life take a big step forward for a wolf.

Riko took a deep breath and sat crisscross style in front of the fire. She glanced up and saw her elder sitting on the other end of the fire.

The air was tense around them. If this didn't go as planned, things might get ugly. Some people still didn't agree to let the outsider stay. Others grew quite attached to her and wanted her to stay. Either way, some people would still be unhappy.

Kya stood up and faced the large pack. "Before we begin the ceremony tonight, our alpha has placed one last test for her cub, which majority of the pack asked for."

Everyone knew of the 'test', yet some people began muttering things amongst themselves anyway. Riko took another breath and straightened her hunched back. She was ready.

Kya faced the teenager through the fire again. "Riko Sato, when I ask whether you will stay with the Avatar pack, what is your answer?"

The forest went quiet. Korra and Asami watched anxiously. Even though it was Asami's idea to introduce the outside world to the cub years ago, now the omega nervously gripped her wife's hand. Karina watched smugly with her arms crossed, already knowing how her lover was going to answer.

Riko whipped her head up and confidently stared back at her elder. "I am going to stay with the pack and lead beside my mother."

Cheers instantly arose and even a few howls disrupted the forest. The cub smiled as most of her pack was happy with her answer. Those few who disagreed had already disappeared from the ceremony. Riko glanced over her shoulder at her family and warmth shrouded her heart. Both of her parents were crying, which was exceptionally rare for the alpha. Karina smiled proudly at her, while her brother jumped up and down in excitement.

Kya chuckled wearily and rose her hands to quiet the crowd. "It looks like the pack is happy with your answer. Now, are you ready, Riko?"

Riko showed her canines as she smiled brightly and she nodded. She then placed her fists together as Korra had instructed to her prior to the ceremony. Kya picked up a few tools from the ground and began the ceremony. "No matter how you became a part of the pack, you are now a part of our family. I've had the pleasure of watching you grow up, raised by two of the most amazing women I know. You're gonna do great things, I can feel it. You'll be a great leader, just like your mother. Now it is up to the spirits to determine your element."

The elder then motioned to the pack and drums and pipes starting sounding. Kya picked up a handful of dirt at her feet and tossed it into the fire. She then began chanting foreign words and shaking a rattle of some sort.

The drums rung in Riko's ears as she watched the elder dance slightly as she called to the spirits. Her mind felt heavy as pressure built in her chest. Somehow she saw Kya motion that it was time for her part and she wearily stepped up. She gulped before biting into her thumb, then placing her hand over the fire and let a drop of her blood go.

As soon as the fire devoured her offering, the ground immediately below the fire cracked and expanded completely to the edge of the circle. Riko stumbled in surprise but managed to keep on her feet. When the ground stopped shaking, the cub looked all around to make sure her family was okay. She caught Kya's sight and saw that the woman was smiling. The elder picked up a cup of red paint and approached the cub.

The air felt tense again, but in a good way this time. The older woman dipped her fingers in the paint. Riko flinched slightly when the cold paint made contact with her face. Kya placed three small circles on the girl's forehead. Then she drew what could be described as upside-down L's on her cheeks.

"Congratulations Riko." Kya whispered to her, then took a step back and presented her to the pack. "I give you alpha Riko Sato of the earth element!"

The pack cheered and Riko was soon ambushed with hugs by her family. The official adult wolf happily laughed and hugged them in return. Soon everyone began chowing down on food that they brought specifically for this night.

Tenzin came up from behind Korra and placed a solid hand on her shoulder, startling her at first. "You should be very proud, Korra. It's not every day that we get earth sent our way."

Korra chuckled and proudly watched her family eat. Riko seemed content just watching everyone else celebrate. "Yeah, we usually get water and fire. It's seems only your family is being granted air. Maybe we're finally getting to branch out again."

Tenzin chuckled in agreed. "It does seem that way. I'm just glad all of this food didn't go to waste. Anyway, enjoy your night with your family."

Riko sat on the log with Karina relaxing in between her legs as they watched everyone dance and celebrate. Eventually Asami found them and motioned them forward. "You know you can't just sit back all night. You're only halfway through getting your tattoo."

The alpha rose a brow and helped her girlfriend to her feet. "What're you talking about? I thought I just had to go through the initiation ceremony."

Asami laughed and shook her head. "No, dear. There are several more things to do. The first: dancing."

"Dancing?!"

"Oh it's not so bad!"

Riko pouted as Karina jumped up and down in excitement. "C'mon Riko, I wanna dance! You have to do it anyway."

The wolf sighed and reluctantly let herself be pulled to the dancing circle. Asami soon joined them after she found Korra. Asami whispered in her daughter's ear as they walked past. "Copy Korra."

Riko gulped, forgetting to reply at all. The pack cheered as Korra stepped up and began the dance. Her daughter simply watched for a few minutes before she noticed her mother was repeating the steps over and over. They caught eyes and Riko realized she was meant to join her.

Korra smiled as the younger alpha finally joined her. She started from the first step and proudly watched her daughter copy her. Riko picked up the fluid motions and was soon smiling. Simultaneously they threw their hands to the air, then slid to the ground in a lunge. After a number of moves, they rounded the circle, getting closer to each other as they finished the dance. The fire grew stronger with every move. Energy ran rampant through the duo as they finally joined fists together. They smiled brightly, even though they were sweating like crazy.

The pack howled in excitement. Riko grinned and joined in confidently. Korra laughed joyfully and playfully punched her in the shoulder. Suddenly Korra blinked and backed away. Riko turned around and saw her girlfriend standing behind her. Her smile never faltered and she lifted her into the air as she hugged her. Karina laughed and held onto her shoulders.

Riko carefully set her back on her feet, but the human whispered something in her ear. "Be careful you don't sweat too much. That ceremonial paint might wear off. And I really like the warrior look it gives you."

Riko's teeth shone as she continued to smile. "I feel like a warrior. I feel amazing! What's next?!" She asked, looking for her omega mother.

They looked around and saw Asami speaking with Kya in the distance. Karina smiled and began pulling the wolf towards them. "C'mon alpha, let's go find out the next step."

Riko growled silently so only they could hear it. "I know what the last step is."

Karina blushed and elbowed the girl in the ribs, making her groan in pain.

Riko huffed in through the pipe and then sighed outwards. She passed it to her girlfriend, who seemed hesitant, but then she saw the entire pack waiting for her to take her turn. She reluctantly took a puff and passed it onto the next person. Riko laughed and playfully nudged her. "What? Can't take a little bit of the medicine pipe?"

Karina scowled. "Those are drugs, Riko."

Riko waved her off. "Oh please, they're natural plants. Besides, it's part of every ritual, so you might wanna get used to it."

Karina angrily took a few more puffs as her turn came around again, but eventually it did its job and she relaxed a bit. Soon the couple was laughing at the simplest things. Korra elbowed her from her spot next to her. "Hey, don't get too messed up. Your tattoo is next."

Riko's eyes widened and she nodded excitedly. She was careful when her turn came back around.

"You ready?"

Riko breathed in and out deeply, then nodded to her elder. Tenzin picked up the needle and began the tattoo. Riko hissed in surprise and her body erupted in goosebumps. She felt someone sit beside her and grab her hand. She squinted her eyes open to see her lover. She smiled even through the pain and tried to put her attention somewhere else. She glanced around the tent and noticed that they were the only ones there. Riko was only allowed one person to accompany her to the tattoo tent. Her family and pack waited outside. A small pot lay in front of them, emitting smoke to help calm her nerves. Luckily, the medicine pipe from earlier still had some effect on her. Her attention was brought back to her arm when Tenzin hit some sensitive skin.

Korra paced nervously outside. Asami sat on the ground with their son. Kohaku would be turning ten in a few months. The boy was starting to grow as tall as his parents. Asami sighed. "Korra, please stop pacing. You know she's fine. We all go through this ritual."

Korra sighed and paused her pacing. "I know but this is our child and we're not there with her!"

Asami grabbed her arm as she began pacing again and pulled her to sit down. "It was her decision who to bring in there with her and she chose Karina. I think that just goes to show how serious they are."

Korra slowly went wide-eyed with realization. "Do you think...?"

Asami nodded. "You need to talk to her about it soon. I get the feeling they won't be able to wait much longer."

Korra was about to respond, but then the flap to the tent flew open. Both of them quickly jumped up and smiled when they saw their daughter brandishing her element on her arm. She looked exhausted, yet excited. She wore her element with pride for the whole world to see, even if it was covered in a plastic wrap for protection at the moment.

For the rest of the night, the family simply watched their pack enjoy themselves. Riko was drained from all of the rituals she had to go through. Eventually she began falling asleep her girlfriend's shoulder. Karina sighed and nudged her awake. "C'mon, let's go home."

Riko forced herself awake and glanced around. "But the ceremony..."

Karina chuckled quietly. "They're gonna be out here 'til morning. You need rest."

Riko sighed and let the human help her to her tired feet.

Korra eyed them as they walked home. "It looks like you have an extra night to talk to her." Asami spoke up from beside her.

Riko felt sleep catching up to her like a forest fire. She didn't think she would make it, but suddenly her legs met with her bed. She sighed, not caring how she got here, and planted herself into the cushions.

Karina chuckled and yanked the blanket up from under the alpha. Sleep was gaining on her as well. She crawled under the blanket and pulled the other girl into her arms. Riko was already out cold and let the human hold her close. "So much for that last step you were talking about." Karina giggled quietly, and then followed her girlfriend's lead.


	21. Ch 21 Spread Thin: 'Omegaverse' AU PART5

Riko felt like she could sleep forever, but apparently the world had other plans. Someone shook her shoulder, henceforth waking her up. She blinked her eyes open and saw her girlfriend leaning over her to kiss her on the forehead. The alpha quickly grabbed her and hugged her to her chest.

"Riko, we have to get up." The wolf just groaned. "Seriously, it's almost noon."

"Wha?"

"Korra let us sleep in. C'mon, I'll make us lunch."

Karina pulled a drowsy Riko down the stairs and sat her in a chair. The scent of cooked bacon and eggs began to wake up the alpha. She thanked her when a plate was set down in front of her.

Korra wandered in as they finished eating. "Hey, I could use your help. Will Karina mind if I steal you away for a bit?"

Riko glanced over to her girlfriend, who simply laughed and pushed her towards the door. "Don't let me stop you, _alpha_."

Riko growled playfully at her before following her mother outside. They walked quite a distance away. Korra stopped when they were in the middle of the woods. "What're we really doing, mom?"

Korra sighed and sat on a fallen log. "We need to talk."

Riko rose a brow worriedly and sat down next to her. "I thought we had gotten all of the 'talks' out of the way."

"Well we didn't think you'd be interested in girls. So yes, we did leave something out." Riko waited patiently for her mother to speak up again. "You need to be careful when you two 'do it'."

Riko instantly blanched and turned away. "Aww mom, c'mon! We don't need talk about tha-"

"You don't know, do you?" Korra asked seriously.

Riko paused, racing through her thoughts to figure out what Korra was talking about. "I don't know what?"

Korra sighed and ran a hand over her face. "When two girls mate, and I mean go through the mating requirements, there's a chance for the lower rank to get pregnant."

Riko's eyes went wide. "What? How?"

"It's a one-time thing when you mate. Something about the spirits coming together. You have one chance at it and I don't want you to screw it up. If you mate with Karina now, she could become pregnant. Or if something goes amiss during the process, you won't be able to have kids at all. You need to be prepared for it because I know you don't want any of that right now." Korra explained.

Riko went quiet, though questions roamed her mind. "What happened to you and Asami?"

Korra dropped her head. "I'm the one who messed it up. I rushed everything when we first started out… That's why I'm telling you now. This is something that you need to plan thoroughly."

Riko nodded and stared at the ground. This could change everything. "Thanks mom…for everything."

Korra smiled sadly and hauled them to their feet. "Let's head back home. I don't want Karina worrying about you."

* * *

Karina smiled when she heard the front door open. However, she frowned confusingly when she saw Riko looked disoriented. "Riko, are you okay?"

Riko jumped, nearly knocking a chair down. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine! Just dandy!"

Karina arched a brow and sighed. "Okay. Um, do you wanna take a nap outside? I know how much you enjoy sitting under the trees."

Riko smiled in relief and nodded.

For several days, Karina noticed that Riko was behaving oddly. She jumped when touched the slightest bit, but only when done by Karina. The alpha never initiated sex, which she used to do all of the time, and was hesitant when Karina started it. She spent more time in the forest, 'clearing her head.'

Two weeks later, the human finally approached her girlfriend about it. As Riko changed to get ready for bed, Karina slid up to her backside and wrapped her arms around her midsection. The alpha tensed up, freezing midway through taking her shirt off.

"Riko, we haven't had sex in over two weeks. Is something going on?"

Riko visibly gulped before fully removing her shirt. "Well, um, there is something I need to talk to you about…"

When she paused and Karina waited for an answer, she pulled them towards the bed to sit down. "Korra talked to me to other day, about…mating." She glanced up to see that Karina was listening intently, not at all surprised by the subject at hand. Riko sighed. "I told you everything there is to know about the pack, but apparently my parents skipped a lesson."

"Where is this headed?" Karina asked worriedly. The alpha began scratching her arm roughly, causing the human to grab both of her hands to calm her. "Riko, talk to me."

Riko sighed again. "W-When we mate, there's a chance that you could become…pregnant."

Riko's face dropped at the sudden reality of having a family with this woman. She wanted it, but was now the time? They weren't even 20!

"Are you serious?" Karina asked quietly.

Riko nodded nervously. "But it's a one-time thing. When we mate for the first time, it's the only chance we get at having a child of our own. I don't know how exactly; something about the spirits granting wishes…"

Karina rose a brow. "Spirits? Really?"

Riko frowned at her. "Two weeks ago you saw the earth split and fire blaze at my ceremony. Are you still questioning the supernatural?"

Karina's confused expression slowly turned into one of shock. "You are serious."

"Yes." Riko growled urgently. "That's why I've been kinda sensitive to touch lately. I don't want to mess this up. We're still young to start a family. What if it's not the right time?"

The alpha was shut up when a finger landed on her lips. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Karina whispered strongly. She quickly reprimanded the wolf when she tried to speak up again. "Ah ah! You've done a lot of talking. Let me speak. I do want all of that and more, Riko. I don't think time is an issue. What are we doing with our lives? You help run a pack all day while I work a couple hours at Asami's garage. I think it's more whether we're personally ready for that responsibility. I think I'm ready for it. The question is: are you ready?"

The couple sat quietly, sorting through their thoughts. Riko replayed her lover's words and realized that they really could do this at any time. They were going to stay in the same place for a long time now. She only felt that they were moving fast since she had only gotten the label 'adult wolf' just two weeks prior. But they had been together now for 20 months; they were emotionally and physically ready. Now were they mentally ready?

Riko turned back to Karina to see she looked determined to have this. "You sure you're ready?" The alpha asked again.

Karina nodded and cupped her cheek. "As long as you are." She then leaned up and kissed her.

Riko hesitantly returned the gesture, slowly growing confident with each passing second. She pulled back and took one last look at her girlfriend to make sure. "I'm ready if you are."

* * *

A month passed. Riko began building their own cabin. That was the next step after mating. The alpha is supposed to build their own home in preparation for starting a family. Of course Riko had help from Korra, Mako, and Bolin. The girl knew nothing of actual construction.

They didn't actually see any warnings that Karina was pregnant, but it was only a chance. Karina nonchalantly touched her collar where Riko marked her permanently. She remembered that moment like it was yesterday, which might actually just be a memory of them doing it again. The memories began to blur together after the first day. She signed in remembrance and stepped outside to bring the werewolves refreshments.

Riko smiled at her and thanked her as she took a cup of lemonade. She glanced back to say something else, but blinked in concern. "Sweetie, are you feeling okay? You look a little pale."

Karina waved her off. "I'm fine, just a cold or something. Fall is coming a lot sooner this year."

Riko pouted but thought nothing more of it.

The next day, reality struck Karina as she ate pickles and peanut butter for lunch. She hadn't thought much of her eating habits. Breakfast and dinner were always as a family, so she normally ate whatever was prepared. Lunch she had been eating by herself for some time now. She ran to the calendar on the fridge and ran her finger across the page, looking for a certain date. She internally screamed. She missed her period. Her food laid left forgotten on the table as she dashed out through the front door.

"Where's Riko?" Karina demanded.

Mako and Bolin glanced at each other nervously. "She, uh, smelled something entering our territory earlier. She hasn't come back since. Korra just left to go find her." Bolin explain apprehensively.

Karina groaned and rubbed her head. "I need to talk to her _now_."

* * *

Riko sniffed the air as she approached the edge of their border. Someone had just crossed over into their land. She padded across the terrain on all fours as she dashed through the trees. Wolf or human would be terrified of her wolf-form. The scent soon became stronger and she recognized the smell of a rogue wolf.

'Funny how that used to be me.' She thought. But she was long past that part of her life.

Riko frowned when something else hit her nose; a strange, decaying smell. She slowed down as she attempted to sneak up on the outsider. She huffed and nearly gagged from the smell. The wolf knew he had crossed into new territory, yet he continued walking straight ahead.

Riko walked out of the bushes as the wolf drudged towards her. Maybe he was just lost and needed redirection. She let out a small growl in warning, urging him to turn around. The other wolf froze, then sniffed the air eagerly. She returned the gesture and realized in shock that the outsider was an alpha.

'What's an alpha doing rogue?!' She thought.

However, she didn't have time to ponder on it before the older wolf lunged at her. Confusion coursed through her, but anger did too. How dare an outsider challenge her?

She easily dodged and swiped at his backside. He didn't cry in pain but clawed back at her. He landed a clean swipe across her arm. She growled loudly at him and barred her teeth. Then Riko lunged at him and the two of them met in midair. She easily threw him into the ground.

Something was odd about the rogue. It was like he was drained and weak. Did he lose a challenge?

Both alphas continued to trade hits. Riko was tiring. However, her opponent kept the same level of stamina even in his weakened state. Riko paused for a few seconds to catch her breath. She felt something baring down on her. Was he effecting her somehow? She had never tired out so quickly before. She hadn't realized how long she was taking to recover until the rogue tackled her into a tree. She whimper in pain as her head collided with the trunk of the large tree. Blood immediately started pouring through her new wound, starting to blur her vision. Was she really about to lose to a rogue? Life had a weird sense of humor then.

She staggered to her paws and managed to dodge another tackle, but he was still on her tail. He was about to go in for the kill when another, much larger wolf than both of them, lunged through the air and pinned him to the ground.

Riko instantly recognized the wolf as her mother and finally laid down to rest. She heard Korra tear the outsider apart. She closed her eyes wanting rest, not realizing that she wasn't out of the woods yet.

Korra suddenly shook her awake. "Riko, stay awake. I'm gonna get you to Kya. Just hold on."

Riko peaked her eyes open and noticed that her mother was back in her human-form. She tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. She touched her forehead, feeling fresh blood. She blinked in confusion. When had she herself shifted back to human-form?

* * *

Karina sat under a tree near their new cabin. The building was almost done. The boys were just putting some finishing touches to it. She sipped her tea, enjoying her time while she could. Suddenly the boys perked up and took a few steps away from the house. Karina watched as they looked around and sniffed the air. In an instant, Mako had shifted and took off running. Bolin wasn't far behind him and they both disappeared into the woods. Karina's heart stopped. Riko and Korra weren't back yet and Mako and Bolin just took off like crazy animals. What had just happened?

* * *

Korra's heart jumped in excitement when she sensed her pack members running to her aid. Soon her friends caught up to her and sniffed all around. The alpha sighed thankfully. "Mako, go get Kya. Bring her to my house."

The black wolf nodded and ran off. Korra turned to the brown wolf. "Can you get us back to the homeland, Bolin?" The wolf nodded eagerly and kneeled down to let her climb on top. She held her daughter close to her as Bolin dashed back. 'Please be okay.'

* * *

Karina nervously paced in front of the alpha's house. If something bad had happened, they'd come here first. She saw the brown wolf in the distance with someone on his back. As they got closer and clearer to see, the human gasped and ran to meet up with them.

Korra jumped off of Bolin with her daughter in her arms. She had torn her shirt off during the run back and pressed it to Riko's head. She saw Karina run towards them and grimaced.

"What happened?!" Karina cried out.

Korra raced inside and laid her daughter on the couch. She checked to make sure she was secure and then ran off to find a towel to press against her forehead since her shirt was already soaked with blood.

"Korra?!"

The alpha stood with such assurance that the panicked human backed off. Korra scoffed. "A rogue attacked her. I don't know how she got so injured, though. She's usually so much stronger."

Karina gulped and slid past the alpha to sit next to her mate. _Mate_. The word rung in her head. They were in this for the long haul. She couldn't lose her now. She gently held her hand and pressed the towel to her bleeding wound.

"Kya's on her way. She's gonna need space to work on her." Korra explained quietly.

Karina practically glared at her, then her expression softened as she thought that the alpha was right. They heard something skid in the door outside before Kya sauntered into the house. She immediately got to work with her healing water. "What happened?"

Korra grimaced. "She went to investigate an intruder and was attacked by a rogue. He was strong."

"What?!" Everyone turned around and saw Asami standing in the doorway with shock written on her face. She had smelled the different scents surrounding her house as she drove up, but she had not expected anything like this.

"A-Asami, I got there in time to stop him, but she was already pretty hurt." Korra nervously explained.

A raspy gasp of air surprised them all. Riko had been floating in and out of consciousness. She reached out for her mate, who readily held her hand tight. The injured alpha wheezed out a few words. "He…was an…alpha."

Karina was close to tears but pushed them back to stay strong for her mate. "Riko, you need to conserve your energy."

However, Riko was determined to get this info out. "He was…sick…something…" She erupted in coughs which Karina and Kya spent minutes trying to soothe her.

"That must be why she couldn't hold him off. Whatever illness he was carrying must've transferred to her." Korra pondered quietly.

"Korra…" Kya spoke up gravely. "Did you touch either of them?"

The alpha blinked before realization hit her. She immediately paled. "I killed the outsider and carried Riko back…"

Asami noticed that Korra was panting and grew worried. "Korra, are you feeling okay?"

Korra's eyes shifted and she began to feel weak. She grabbed onto the wall as her strength faded. "I don't feel too good actually."

Asami gasped and caught the alpha as she finally crashed. "Korra!"

Kya jumped up and helped carry her to the loveseat. "This is bad. We might have a virus on our hands. No one should enter or leave this house until we solve this."

"Guys, whatever it is, it's spreading fast." Karina called over worriedly.

Riko was struggling to breathe now. Kya hurried back over and removed the towel from her forehead. "Oh no…"

The sickness was already progressing so much in the young alpha. The skin around her wound was blackening and flaking off. "Why is it moving so fast?" Kya questioned aloud before frantically trying to heal the wound.

Karina gulped and gripped her hand tighter. She was so scared that this might be the last time to talk to her. If she blacked out and Kya couldn't fix this, it was all over…

"Riko baby, can you hear me?" Karina asked carefully. Riko squeezed her hand to answer her. The human's throat went dry. "You have to survive this. I know you can. You're so strong and brave."

Everyone was listening carefully, even Korra who was laid curled up on the other chair. Tears began falling from Karina's eyes at this point. Riko squeezed her hand again and rubbed her thumb over her hand. "I _need_ you to get through this. We're gonna spend our whole lives together, remember? We're gonna have a family and our own cabin and everything."

Kya gulped and wiped her tears. "We need our great alpha to lead us. We won't make it without you."

Riko turned her head slightly so she could see her mate. She mouthed 'We?'

Karina nodded and laughed through her tears. "Yes, 'we'. Riko, I'm pregnant."

Riko's vision cleared as she gasped. "Really?" She managed to whisper. Silent tears dripped from her eyes and she began to smile when her mate nodded. She sniffled as more tears appeared, but she continued to smile. She was overjoyed inside. Her grip on Karina's hand tightened and the gesture was returned.

Their family around them smiled somberly. Riko slowly rose her hand to her mate's cheek, wiping her tears away. "Don't cry… I'll be fine…"

Karina tried to smile, but all she felt was dread as she grabbed her hand again. Riko held her hand in the air. "Mom…"

Asami realized she was calling for her and quickly went to her side. Her daughter released Karina's hand to her. Both women looked to her in shock and confusion. "Riko?" Karina cried.

"Keep…safe." Riko muttered before passing out.

Kya urgently pushed them out of the way so she could tend to Riko's deteriorating state. Asami pulled the human to her feet and hugged her tight as she finally released her pent up tears.

* * *

Kya ended up working until nightfall. Asami had taken Korra to bed, though the alpha didn't seem in as bad of condition as their daughter. It was more like a flu for her but could easily go downhill if they weren't careful. Kohaku laid against Asami's backside to separate himself from his sick mother but also to be as close as possible too. As the family laid in bed, Karina sat in a chair beside them. Her tears had dried up and all she could think about was what would happened if her mate didn't make it.

They heard slow steps come up the stairs and all tensed up. Kya tiredly knocked on the door before peaking in. They were ready to hear the worst when they saw the healer's drained expression.

The medicine woman sighed. "She's stable for now." They all sat up a little straighter to hear the good news. "However, we still have a problem. This isn't going to fix itself. It's going to take strong healing."

Asami sat up and cradled Korra's head in her lap. "What can we do?"

Kya slouched on the end of the bed. "There's only one thing I can think of. There's a lake deep in the forest. The water there has healing qualities. If I could get some of that, I could probably progress the healing."

"Then let's do it." Asami urged.

"It's not that simple, Asami." Kya explained. "The journey is easily a 5 day round-trip on foot. I can't leave Riko with the way she is now; she won't make it. And Korra may look well now, but her condition will get worse with time too. I need someone else to get it now. We still don't know if this can spread to other wolves so we need to act fast."

"I'll do it."

Both elder woman looked up to Karina in shock. "Karina, you can't. It's not safe and Riko would kill me if something happened to you or your child." Asami argued. "I'll go."

Kya glanced around at the family. "Are none of you feeling sick?"

Asami shook her head and then looked to her son, who shook his head too as he clutched to his mother's sleeve. They turned to Karina, who looked exhausted, but she too shook her head.

"How has it not spread to any one of you?" Kya wondered aloud. "Maybe you need direct contact." She paused when she saw Asami getting new gear out. "You need to take someone – a wolf – with you. The trip is too long on foot. I need this healing water _now_. A wolf will cut that time in half."

"But what if it spreads? What if this only effects wolves?" Asami questioned.

Kya sighed. "We have to pray that it doesn't spread because if we don't do this now, we're gonna lose two of our three alphas."

* * *

It was after midnight when Asami finally began her journey to the spirit pond. She had a small sack of supplies in case they needed it. She ruffled the brown fur that belonged to her friend. She jumped upon his burly back and urged him forward. He barked and dashed into the woods. "Let's hurry, Bolin."

* * *

Karina held her mate's hand all night as she sat on the floor next to the couch. The alpha's breathing was labored but was no longer wheezy. She appeared peaceful as she slept. Kya checked on her occasionally throughout the night but spent most of her time watching over Korra since Asami was gone. Karina rubbed her thumb over her hand as worry controlled her thoughts.

* * *

Asami held tight to the fur of the giant wolf and looked all around for the lake. Bolin was circling around for the third time. They had never visited the spirit lake before so finding it was proving to be difficult. "It has to be around here somewhere. Kya pointed it out on the map."

Bolin sniffed the ground and continued searching. Suddenly a small yet bright sphere floated towards them. Asami gasped and yanked at the wolf's fur. The male whipped up and panted in surprise. The blue aura began floating away. The omega quickly ushered the large wolf to follow it.

As they caught up to it, they noticed that the blue aura was actually a rabbit whose ears acted as wings. Even in the wolf pack, most members didn't see things like this. Only the medicine woman saw these things on a normal basis. Asami and Bolin were shocked and even more surprised when they suddenly stumbled onto the glowing lake.

"This is it!" Asami hissed in excitement. She slid off of the wolf and carefully kneeled down to the radiant water with a hide bag. She slowly dipped the bag into the water and watched it fill with glee. She was going to get this healing water home.

Soon they were headed back home. It was the middle of the night, but Bolin always knew where he was. Asami suddenly yanked on his fur again, pointing him in a new direction. He whined, asking what was up.

"There's something else we need to bring home."

* * *

Two days passed since Asami and Bolin left. Kya began trying to heal Korra upstairs as the alpha's condition had begun to deteriorate as well. Karina had sat beside her mate for the entire time.

Suddenly the human heard the heavy pounding footsteps of a wolf and stood on her cramped feet. Asami burst through the front door which the bag of glowing water. "We got it!"

Karina smiled for the first time in three days. "Kya, they're back!"

The healing woman ran down the stairs in excitement. "Perfect timing, Asami. We got to get this to the girls right away." Kya snatched the water and hurried to the younger alpha.

"Is Korra okay?" Asami asked worriedly.

Karina nodded as they watched Kya get to work. "Korra was having horrible coughing fits, but Kya was able to push it back for the time being. Riko was actually headed downhill a bit. She hasn't woken up in two days, but hopefully now we can fix this."

Asami watched solemnly as Kya administered the spirit water to her aching daughter. She then perked up once she remembered something else. "Um, Kya, we brought you something else."

The medicine woman glanced up and paused her healing process. "What would that be?"

Asami sighed and motioned them outside. Bolin sat on his haunches, guarding the house. Several large garbage bags covered something big on the ground. Kya and Karina both glanced over to the omega in confusion. The woman held her hand up to silence them and removed the plastic bags. Both women gasped.

"Asami, is that the wolf that…?" Kya asked in shock.

The pale woman nodded. "This is the sick wolf that attacked them. I figured that maybe you could learn something by examining him."

Kya glanced over to the beta wolf. "Bolin, how are you feeling?" The wolf cocked his head in confusion and huffed to say that he was fine. This only confused the medicine woman further. "Why are Riko and Korra the only ones effected?"

Asami had already slimmed down the answers to two. "Either it's only contracted by direct blood-to-blood contact, or this illness only effects alphas."

Kya looked back at the omega with shock. "I've never heard of an illness that only effects alphas."

"Well if you think about it, they probably kicked this alpha out of the pack because of his illness. Either it spread to other members by contact or it spread by air to other alphas." Asami explained further.

"Bolin ran to their rescue after the attack. He carried both of them back." Karina suddenly jumped in. Bolin nodded his furry head in acknowledgement.

Kya scowled and crossed her arms. She glanced back to the beta wolf that sat nearby seemingly unaffected. "None of you have gotten sick from your time sitting with them. Bolin seems fine having been around both of them and the outsider. If Bolin doesn't get sick at all, I'll be convinced that this only effects alphas. But for now, let me see what I can do for our alphas and then I'll take a look at the rogue."

She felt something smoothly rubbing the expanse of her forearm. Her head spun as she finally opened her eyes again after almost 3 days. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the blurriness, and groaned from pain in her head.

"Riko? Are you awake?"

The alpha slung her head to the side and saw the love of her life watching her anxiously. "Hi."

The human smiled and began crying. "Hi yourself. How do you feel?"

Riko groaned again as she tried to prop herself up on her arms. Karina quickly grabbed her and helped her sit up. The werewolf patted herself down and felt bandages around her upper arm and forehead. Memories from the fight slowly refilled her mind. She looked around and saw Kya asleep in the loveseat. "Where's Korra?"

Karina cupped her cheek and pressed her lips to her bandaged forehead. "She's okay. She and Asami are resting in bed."

The sky was pink and she couldn't tell whether it was dusk or dawn. "How long was I passed out for?"

"Three days as of this morning. Kya finished healing you both last night. She said you'd be waking up soon."

Riko rubbed her head. "Did something happen to Korra? I thought she took care of the rogue."

"She did, but that wolf was sick." Karina started and immediately saw the questions forming in her girlfriend's head. "For some reason it didn't spread to anyone but you two. Asami thinks that maybe the illness only effects alphas. But Kya's so exhausted that she hasn't examined the rogue yet. As soon as you two were recovering for good, she passed out in the chair."

They both glanced over to the snoring medicine woman. "We need to do something to thank her." Riko commented.

"We'll think of something as soon as you're feeling better." Karina replied.

* * *

Asami felt something shuffle underneath her and squinted her eyes open. She watched happily as her mate slowly woke up. "'Sami?"

The omega grabbed her hand. "I'm right here, baby. How do you feel?"

"Like a bag of rocks, but that's better than how I was feeling yesterday." Korra chuckled tiredly. She groaned and her body creaked as she sat up against the headboard. "Did everything go okay when you left to get the spirit water?"

Asami smiled and sat up with her, leaning her head against her shoulder. "It went great. We got back just in time, otherwise Riko might've taken a turn for the worst."

Korra rejoined their hands. "How is Riko doing?"

"Kya patched her up last night before coming up here and said she'd should wake up sometime today. She probably won't feel okay right away but she'll begin to recover at least." Asami explained.

"I'll just be glad when this is all over and we can continue living like normal." Korra sighed in relief. Suddenly her stomach growled loudly. They giggled as the alpha rubbed her neck nervously. "I guess that'll begin with breakfast, huh?"

Asami sat up, pulling her mate with her. "I will gladly make a buffet for everyone if I need to. C'mon."

Asami helped keep the alpha steady as they made their way downstairs. Joy overwhelmed them when they saw that their daughter was awake.

Karina had slid in behind her mate and rested the girl's head in her lap, combing through her hair to relax her. Riko laid with her eyes closed, yet rubbed her mate's stomach. They both glanced their way and nodded to acknowledge their presence. Even though Riko was worried about her mother, she wouldn't leave her pregnant mate.

The realization that their family was going to grow struck both women hard. Tears sprung to Korra's eyes but she quickly wiped them away. Asami smiled warily and rubbed her arm. "It's going to be okay, dear."

Korra laughed watery. "We're going to be grandparents, 'Sami!"

Asami began tearing up too. "Yes we are." She went over to the young couple and kissed both girls atop their heads. Korra's chest swelled with pride and she patted her daughter's head before following the omega into the kitchen.

* * *

Riko dragged herself up the steps after a long day of hunting. Sometimes she would get winded easily. Kya figured that the illness might've hurt her lungs, but the alpha continued running herself ragged on these hunts anyway.

She stepped into her bedroom to grab clothes for after her shower but froze at the sight before her. "Ummm, what're you doing?"

Karina peeked an eye open and clutched a blanket tighter. "I'm nesting apparently. Pema says it's normal, even for me."

"Oh, okay." Riko replied after a few seconds, acting like this was totally normal even though this was the first sign that Karina was barring a child. The alpha found some clothes and left to take her shower.

Karina felt something nuzzling against her side and smiled sleepily. A strong arm draped over her stomach and the other was cradling the alpha's head, her cheek pressed against the human's hair. Karina smiled and scooted closer to her, making Riko huff in her sleep and pull her closer. The human leaned up and kissed her forehead, where a scar now sat in reminder of that scary time.

* * *

The pack was in the middle of a hunt when Riko suddenly broke rank by halting. Her wet snout stood high in the air, sniffing the odd scent. She glanced pack to the pack land, trying to figure out what the scent was. The pack stopped and Korra trotted to her side, eyeing her confusingly. Riko didn't even glance at her before she took off running in anger.

Karina pressed herself against the wall as she watched the two wolves in front of her stare at each other. Tenzin had come to her aid when he smelled the scent of the deranged beta coming for her. He stood protectively yet calmly in front of her, his burgundy tail swishing, signaling he wouldn't back down. The beta wolf growled angrily, stepping forward to communicate for the alpha to step away.

The wolf braced himself against the ground, preparing to jump whether Tenzin moved or not. But he wasn't moving. He knew an angry alpha once he smelled it and was unfazed when Riko dashed into the yard and tackled the beta before he could lift his feet off of the ground. Karina hadn't even noticed the rapid pounding through the woods until Riko appeared. The human jumped and shakily grabbed onto Tenzin's red fur as they watched Riko force the beta into submission.

Eventually the hunting pack caught up to her and, even in their astonishment, helped get the wolf away from the human. Riko padded up to Tenzin and dropped her head in thanks. Tenzin nodded and followed the pack away.

Karina dropped to her knees and grasped Riko's fuzzy snout, pressing their foreheads together. "I was so scared."

Riko nodded and slouched into a squat, trying to catch her breath. Karina noticed the ragged breathing and tugged the wolf to sit with her under their favorite tree. Riko dropped into a sleeping position as her breathing evened out. Karina carefully rested her head on the alpha's stomach and eventually the duo fell asleep.

Karina woke up when a chilly wind swept through the land. She blinked when she didn't feel fur anymore. She sat up and saw that Riko had shifted back during her sleep. She chuckled and nudged the alpha awake. "C'mon, it's late and we haven't eaten dinner."

Riko was about to argue against dinner, but knew her pregnant mate was probably starving. She reluctantly dragged herself into the house with her and helped prepare dinner. Riko volunteered to clean up the kitchen afterwards, wanting Karina to go to bed. The human chuckled but listened anyway.

Karina hadn't been lying in bed for long, as she was busy resituating her nest, when Riko finally joined her. Eventually she felt her mate join her as the bed adjusted. However she was surprised when she felt fur. She turned to her and saw the tension in the alpha's face.

Karina rubbed her back. "It's okay. I wasn't hurt. Besides, I don't think he'll be returning any time soon."

Riko huffed and nudged her nose into her hand. Karina smiled and rubbed between her ears. "But it makes you feel better, it's fine. Just go to sleep, please."

Riko rested her head on her paws as her mate situated herself against her side. This felt safe. This felt right.

* * *

The first thing Riko heard was a plate smashing against the floor. She was up in an instant, searching for her mate. She gulped as she found the human gripping the countertop. Her other hand held her now swollen stomach. Liquid puddled underneath her. She hadn't even called out for Riko but wasn't surprised when the alpha suddenly swooped her up in her arms and carried her upstairs to the bed.

As much as she tried to hide it, panic grew within the alpha. She gulped and sweated profusely as she listened to her mate voice her discomfort.

"Is… Is it time?"

Karina gasped as pain hit her again. "I think so. We need Kya _now_."

"Okay! Okay! Shit, this is happening…" Riko muttered as she ran to the phone and dialed Kya's number.

* * *

"Korra…" Asami called for the alpha as they ate breakfast. The alpha looked up at her in confusion. Worry seem to grow on Asami's face and her gut instinct was trying to tell her something. The scent slowly hit both of them simultaneously and they dashed out of the house.

* * *

"I-I called Kya! She should be here soon!" Riko announced once she hung up the phone. She gulped as more pain erupted through her mate.

"Well I think this baby is coming now! We don't have time!" Karina yelled. Riko panicked and began pacing the room, only stopping once Karina yelled at her again shortly after. "I need you to control yourself and help right now until Kya gets here."

Riko nodded with a dry throat and helped her undress. "Just do as I tell you. We're gonna be fine." Karina commented encouragingly.

Soon, someone barged into their cabin. Riko looked back as the door slammed open and blinked in astonishment when she saw her mother the omega. "M-Mom?!"

"Move sweetie. I can help." Asami demanded as she kneeled at the end of the bed. "Korra went to get Kya."

Riko was about to retort when suddenly Karina grabbed a hold of her hand and squeezed. The alpha yelped in pain and huddled at the top of the bed with her. Karina's grasp on her hand increased as her own pain increased. "I'm gonna kill you!"

"I guess it's a good thing this is a one-time deal then!"

Eventually, Korra arrived with Kya on her back, having changed form to get her there faster. She shifted again and the duo ran inside. They were surprised to see Karina already in labor. Kya joined Asami's side as the omega gave them all of the information that happened so far. The healer glanced at the younger alpha and was surprised to see her quelled by her mate's hold on her hand. But she had a feeling the longer this progressed the more likely she was become enraged.

After another hour of labor, the first growl erupted from Riko's throat. She tried to settle herself, but for some reason she was becoming increasingly angrier. One look from Kya and Korra was dragging her daughter out of the house. Karina whimpered as she lost contact with her hand, causing her mate to become even more furious.

"Let me go! She needs me!" Riko roared.

Korra didn't relent, however, simply holding her to her chest as she walked outside. She dropped her as soon as the front door shut behind her. Instantly, Riko was back on her feet and rushing towards the door, which Korra blocked immediately. Lin stood off to the side to help if she was needed.

"Korra…" Riko growled angrily. However, it had no effect on her mother. She simply crossed her arms as she blocked her path. "Why? Why drag me out of there out of all moments?! I need to be in there with her!"

"Do you not feel the aggression building in you?" Korra simply asked.

Riko blinked and took in her body language. Her breathing was already ragged in rage and she was poised to fight. She gulped and slowly backed up in submission. "What's wrong with me?"

Korra sighed. "This happens sometimes with alphas and their pregnant mates. The alpha sees and witnesses the pain of labor and wants to protect their mate, but there is nothing to protect them against. There's nothing they can do. So they usually get all riled up and become a nuisance during delivery… If I'm honest, I'm surprised you sat in there for so long. I barely lasted ten minutes with Asami."

Korra saw the anguish and anxiety in her daughter's eyes. She carefully approached her and placed a hand on her back. "It's going to be okay. As soon as the delivery is over, you can run back to her side."

It was nearly nightfall when they heard the first signs of new life in the house. Riko was on her feet in an instant and ran up the stairs two at a time. However, she froze as she entered the room.

A green bundle was being cradled in Karina's arms. The human stared contently at the form in her arms. Suddenly, everything was worth all the pain. Riko slowly and cautiously inched up to her side. She peeked over her shoulder and saw the most magnificent thing in the world. And it was theirs.

Riko kissed Karina on top of her hair, trying to hide her tears. A sob escaped her and she was immediately pulled down to rest with her mate. Karina held her bruised hand and nuzzled her nose against her cheek. "Do you wanna hold her?"

"It's a girl?" Riko asked tearfully. Karina nodded and carefully placed the baby in the alpha's arms. Fresh tears sprung from her eyes as she gazed down at the small child in her arms.

Their family watched the interaction from the other side of the room. "So, have you thought of a name?" Kya asked curiously.

Karina smiled as her child grabbed her forefinger.

* * *

Karina happily cooked breakfast in her own kitchen of her own cabin. As she laid three plates on the dining room table, she heard laughter from outside. She wiped her hands on her apron and walked out through the front door into the yard. She smiled and called for her family. "Riko! Olivia! Breakfast is ready!"

The alpha picked her head up to reply but was tackled by a small body. Her tail whipped back and forth and she grabbed the child. The young child pulled on her ears in an attempt to get out of her grip. The two werewolves continued to wrestle in the grass, that is, until someone plucked the four-year old off of the ground.

"Awww, mom! But we were playing!"

Karina settled the girl against her hip and set her gaze on her wife. "Well 'mommalpha' has to go on a run today so she needs to eat breakfast and get a move on. And you, my child, need to get ready to go to Jinora's so I can go with 'grandmaSami' to work." The human then tickled the girl as she carried her inside.

Riko jumped up and chased after her family. She slipped her arms around her mate and lifted her in her arms. The woman screamed and gripped onto her. Their child scrambled onto the alpha's back.

Karina arched a brow and situated herself. "Are you gonna carry us both inside?"

Riko grinned brightly. "I could carry both of you for miles if I wanted." And just to prove her point, she began running in circle around the yard.

"Riko!" Karina laughed. "We all have to get ready!"

The alpha pouted and started for the house again. "Fine-e-e-e." She reluctantly let go of her family as she approached the door.

Once they finished eating, they regrouped at the front door. Karina playfully kissed their daughter all of her face and she said goodbye. Then the human leaned up to her mate and kissed her on her forehead, where her scar sat permanently. "I love you, babe."

Riko smiled and kissed her on the lips. "I love you, too. Be safe."

Karina smiled. "I will." Then she turned to Olivia. "And you be good for Jinora today."

Olivia saluted and hopped from foot-to-foot in excitement for the day. As Karina watched her mate walked away with their child, a silver truck pulled up. She smiled and hopped in.

Asami watched her daughter in the distance, then glanced to the human. She continued to smile brightly as she watched the dust rise from the truck, taking her farther into town to the garage. She looked to the omega. "I could live with this for a thousand lives over again."

* * *

 **A/N: Tada! That's the end of Spread Thin! Hope you all enjoyed. Remember to leave reviews because they make me smile :)**


	22. October Update

Hi everyone! It's been a long time since I've been around.

Currently, I'm very busy with school. Taking 6 classes means there's a lot more bad days than good ones. It's been a rough two months. My computer busted last week and I had to buy a new screen. Then this week someone decided to throw a rock at my car windshield. Luckily it got repaired today.

Anyway, I got invited to an online writing contest and I'd really appreciate it if you could go there and vote for "The Waterbender's Love and the Mechanic's Passion" story. I'm surprised that so many people still continue to find my work and actually _like it_. I look back on it now and see things I could have done better but that's part of the process. I'm going to continue to learn and get better. Maybe one day I'll be good enough to actually publish. Who knows...?

So the link to the contest website is in (slash) fandom. Just go to and click fanfiction contest at the top. If you then click "Latest," you should see mine since I just posted it . I don't know all of the details to the contest since I just read the invite this evening, but I'd really love it if it got some love over there. :)


	23. Chapter 22 Aching Wonder

**Trigger warning for depression & suicidal tendencies. **

* * *

Asami could immediately tell something was different the moment she laid eyes on Korra. It wasn't just her outward appearance but also her inner personality. As they met eyes, the CEO could see a new calmness to her 'friend'. However, she didn't have much time to ponder on it with Kuvira's army on the rise.

* * *

The first time she knew something drastic had changed during the Avatar's disappearance was on the day of Hiroshi's funeral. The few people who had showed up slowly left one-by-one. Even Mako and Bolin left their friend to grieve. Asami, too caught up in her own emotions, had thought everyone had left. She carelessly flopped onto the ground and pulled her knees to her chin as she cried at her father's grave. Her hiccup turned into a gasp as someone hugged her and pulled her into their lap. She could barely make out the tan complexion and choppy hair of her 'friend' through her own wavy hair that framed her face. She grasped onto Korra's shirt and hid her face in the Avatar's neck.

All the while, Korra carefully comforted her by tightening her hold. She pressed her cheek to the top of Asami's head and slowly rubbed her back. She didn't say a word. There were no words in the world that would comfort her right now and she knew that. So instead she kept Asami in her arms as long as she needed.

As Asami's tears slowly ebbed away, she glanced up at her friend. She blinked through her tears in surprise when she saw a lone tear slip down Korra's cheek. Maybe it was just the rain that had started falling that made it look like that. Asami reached up to pull Korra into a much needed hug, which the Avatar equally returned.

* * *

The next time she realized that Korra had changed was when they were chasing after a thug who stole Asami's purse as they left one of Raiko's meetings. Korra immediately took off after him. Asami, struggling to run in her heels, only caught up to them once the thief locked himself in an abandoned building. Asami was about to pull her hairpin out of her hair to unlock the door. However, Korra beat her to it and swiftly produced a nail file from a hidden pocket and picked the lock open in record time. Asami stood astonished for a few seconds, but then realized that Korra was gone again. She found them in the basement, where Korra was holding the thief up by his collar and holding a rock in the air.

 _Why would she pick earth to bend? Wouldn't fire be a better choice to intimidate?_

Korra emptily stared at the frightened thief before dropping him on his butt and recovering the stolen purse. Asami blinked in surprise as Korra calmly handed her belongings back. That's when she knew more had happened than what Korra told. First off, earth was not Korra's primary element. Secondly, she just released a criminal. The old Korra would have never done that. Third, when had she learned to pick locks?

But Asami didn't voice her questions and they quietly returned home together.

* * *

Over the span of their evolving relationship, Asami noticed some peculiar things about Korra. Korra was a much more rational person and just calm altogether compared to when they first met. She took things in stride and didn't anger _quite_ as quick as before. Some nights, Korra would retreat to bed early. Sometimes, Korra would come stomping inside from the courtyard where she trained when back pain spurred. One thing that confused Asami to no end was how Korra would freeze up randomly and stare out into space.

They were walking through the second floor towards the stairs to go downstairs. Asami was talking about complications at work when Korra froze. The pale woman noticed her disappearance from her side and looked back for her. Korra was intently gazing over the banister that overlooked to first floor foyer. Asami warily walked to her side and rested her hand on Korra's hand squeezing the wooden bar.

"Korra?"

After a few aching seconds, Korra removed her gaze from the bottom floor. This wasn't the first time Korra froze up, but it was starting to bother Asami. She worried if Korra was still recovering from her fight with Zaheer. She had decided previously that she would ask Korra some questions the next time she froze up.

Asami took a quiet breath, mentally preparing herself. "Korra, do you know where you are?"

Korra's slow breathing quickened and after a quick glance of her surroundings she answered. "Home."

"Right. Do you remember where we're going?"

Korra let go of the banister and turned her back to it. She wrung her hands together in thought. "Dinner with Bolin and Opal."

Even though Korra answered correctly, it didn't alleviate Asami's worry. Korra was still hesitant with her answers.

"Are – Do you still want to go?" Asami changed her choice of words, knowing Korra hated people asking if she was 'okay'.

Korra nodded and grabbed the CEO's hand. Korra sighed in relief at the touch. Asami could feel Korra's tension slowly subside and she guided her girlfriend to the door.

* * *

Asami was frantically writing down equations and solutions on her blueprints. She paid no attention to the time and continued putting the ideas in her head to the paper. As she all-too-quickly took a drink of her tea, she instantly spit it back into the cup. It had gone cold. When had that happened? Her brow furrowed in thought. Her tea was usually hot. How had it gone cold? After a minute of contemplation, she realized it in shock. She twisted to look at the clock. It was 3 a.m. and she was still working overtime in her home office, which in reality wasn't that uncommon, but usually Korra came to drag her to bed eventually.

' _Where's Korra?'_ Asami wondered, not to heat up her tea, but in slight panic that she hadn't come pull her to bed as per routine.

The CEO abandoned her office in search of her girlfriend. She immediately went to their bedroom and was surprised to see that Korra was not there. Though, the bed was disheveled, meaning she had been in bed at some point. That didn't help her increasing panic. She thought of other places Korra might go during the middle of the night. The gym, maybe. The kitchen, that was a common occurrence. Asleep on the couch watching a marathon, possible. Asami quickly checked all of those places but the Avatar was not there. She sighed roughly and leaned against the kitchen counter. Thoughts began to run through her mind. ' _No. She wouldn't…run away again… Would she?'_

As Asami exited the kitchen, she looked through the window. Korra wouldn't be outside. It was too cold out with winter on the way. But something nagging in the back of her mind told her to go check. She cautiously walked towards the backyard. She saw a shadow sitting on the deck when she peered through the glass door. She sighed and disappointedly opened the door.

Korra remained unmoving even after she heard Asami open the door and saw her sit next to her. The Avatar simply stared at her hands as if they were alien to her. Suddenly a pale hand came into her view as it encompassed her palm.

"Do you want to talk?" Asami asked quietly.

Korra slowly shook her head and gently squeezed the pale hand. They sat in silence except for the chilly wind. Korra's behavior was confusing Asami to no end. She carefully tugged the Avatar's hand to get her attention.

"C'mon. Let's go to bed. It's cold out here anyway." Asami urged.

However, Korra seemed to hesitate. Even as a cold chill shook her shoulders, the tan woman stayed put. Asami sighed and kneeled down in front of her.

"You need to talk to me Korra. I can't read your mind." Asami reasoned. "But right now I'm tired and I would really appreciate it if you joined me in bed. It's cold without you." At this, Korra finally looked up and Asami could see the emptiness in her eyes. It almost made her quaver. "J-Just promise me that one day in the near future, when you're ready, you'll talk to me about what you're thinking."

Korra blankly stared back at her, then blinked the emptiness away and nodded. Asami sighed contently and pulled the Avatar to her feet.

As they clambered into bed, Asami pulled Korra close to her and wrapped the blankets around them tightly. Asami was shivering because of the cold. Korra was shivering too, but she's never cold so Asami wondered if she was shivering for a different reason, perhaps a mental reason. She had to get Korra to talk somehow, but for now it was time for rest.

Asami rested her forehead against Korra's. The Avatar nudged her in return, her personality returning some. It didn't take long for either begin to fall asleep. However, Korra spoke up.

"I love you Asami." She spoke calmly.

Asami opened her eyes quickly, looked into Korra's eyes, and was surprised to see longing and love in her eyes. She smiled softly. Korra still loved her, even with whatever she was going through. The CEO placed a cold, pale hand against her girlfriend's heated cheek and pressed their lips together. "And I love you Korra." She breathed out as they separated.

* * *

It happened again, except Asami wasn't as quick to notice this time. They were walking through the same hall to the stairs, past the same banister that often staggered Korra. Why did it cause Korra so much trouble? Asami had no idea until now.

She felt the absence of her lover and turned back to find her. She immediately gasped and went wide-eyed. What did Korra think she was doing? She froze in anticipation of Korra's next move. The Avatar was currently paused midway through climbing over the bar, her knee resting on the wood. Seconds ticked by and Korra suddenly began to move. Asami moved in such rush, dropping her papers, and yanked her back.

Korra groaned as her back collided with the floor. Asami had her arms wrapped tight around her in a vice grip. The Avatar could hear the quiet sobs of her girlfriend crying on top of her. Tears quickly pricked her eyes in return as she internally questioned herself. Her lip quivered and her voice trembled. "I-I'm sorry! I don't know what's wrong with me!"

Asami just hugged her tighter as her crying increased.

"I can't make it to any meetings today. Just tell them I have family matters, okay!" Asami argued over the phone. Her secretary wasn't arguing, but Asami's stress was already sky-high and she hadn't stepped a foot out of the house.

The CEO took a breath and calmly returned to the living room with two cups of hot tea. She gently placed one in Korra's hand when she reached through the blanket covering her shoulders. Asami dropped beside her and stared into her cup. The room was eerily quiet as neither knew where to start.

"Is it me…?" Asami whispered.

Emotion appeared on Korra's face for the first time that day. "What? No! It's not you at all."

"Then what is it Korra?" Asami barked. "We've been putting it off but I think it's time you talked a little bit." Korra hung her head in shame. "Do you have any idea what you tried to do this morning? How scared I was?"

Korra gulped and took several deep breaths. She sat her cup on the table and began writhing her hands together. "It just happens."

"What? Trying to jump to your death?" Asami replied sarcastically.

Korra scowled at her. "It wouldn't have killed me. It's only a floor up."

"That's not the point! Korra, you thought about killing yourself?!"

Memories appeared in Korra's mind, making her push further into the couch in discomfort. Asami noticed her discomfort increasing rapidly and quickly intervened. She grabbed her hand and crawled closer to her. "Korra, did something happen after you left?"

Korra squeezed her eyes shut to prevent new tears from falling. "I did some bad things, Asami."

Asami cautiously slid forward and wrapped an arm over her shoulder. "Can we talk about it?"

Korra nodded and slouched into her side. "I was in a bad place. I thought if I just locked it up in the back of my mind that it would go away, but obviously…"

* * *

 _A broken shell of a woman sat in the corner of an underground bar. She was on her third drink and was starting to finally feel the effects that she desired. She hadn't any other plans except to get wasted tonight. That was until she saw a dark-haired beauty waltzing in her direction. She eyed her until the woman took a seat next to her. She glanced back her empty glass. It wasn't her, she reminded herself. Her guest ordered new drinks for the both of them. She took the free drink nonetheless, thankful someone was helping her empty pockets. The rest of the night was a blur until her back hit cushions and strange lips touched her neck. She knew it wasn't her, but it was a way to temporarily block the pain of not knowing if she would ever see her again. A gasp escaped her as their skin made contact. She imagined she was with her former lover. Even if the chances of that ever happening again were slim, she could hope._

 _She woke up the next morning lying next to a strange woman in a strange room. She didn't know where she was, but since when had that mattered to her? It had been months since she had a destination. She quickly gathered her clothes and snuck out. The village was small and still asleep. She hurriedly grabbed some fruit from a stand, leaving two measly coins, and hightailed it out of there. It wasn't enough to pay for the fruit, but the Avatar never did have a lot of money._

 _Her clothes were beginning to tether, but she couldn't afford new clothes, let alone a whole meal. She sat tired at the entrance of an alleyway. The villagers casually passed by, going about their normal day. She contemplated getting up, but where would she go? She had only one destination and she couldn't push herself to make it there. She was stuck in the Earth Kingdom and stuck in her terror-filled mind. Suddenly a coin landed in her lap. She looked up, but the lender was out of sight. She looked back down at the coin blankly. What good would one coin do her? What good was she doing here?! She set out to travel in hopes of finding herself again, but instead she continued to lose herself. She thought leaving the confines of the South would open doors. Now she's broke, homeless, starving, and still losing her mind._

 _Anger began to fill her. All of her enemies were right. She was the worst Avatar ever! She stood up quickly and had to brace herself on a wall until her head stopped spinning. She observed around her surroundings. Evening was started to wear down and the mass of villagers were slowly dissipating. She finally poked her head out when most people had disappeared and glanced around. Her body moved without her mind acknowledging what she was doing until she was looking down off of a three-story building. A jolt through her chest froze her body while her mind remained numb. Could she finally go through with what she had been thinking about for years now?_

 _Her foot inched closer to the ledge. She wanted to do it so bad, but something was stopping her. For a minute she started thinking that it was the tiny bit of hope at seeing her lover again that was stopping her. However, once she glanced around she found what she thought to be the real culprit. She growled and lifted her head. Why was_ she _following her everywhere?! That wasn't her now and it never was her! Why does this image of her dark-self keep appearing?! Every time she made a move to do something big, it stopped her. It stopped her from taking the help from her tribe. It stopped her from returning to Republic City. It stopped her from living, or in this case,_ dying _like she wanted to!_

 _Korra gulped and remained still. She wanted to do it. She didn't care what her dark-self tried to make her do. She was willing to end it all so the world could have its rightful Avatar. No, that was a lie. She knew she was being selfish._

 _Suddenly an image of Asami appear in her head. Her wavy black hair, her perfect makeup, the way she would soothe the Avatar with her words. It was still that tiny sliver of hope that stopped Korra._

 _She slowly withdrew her foot and stepped away. She wouldn't end it now; not yet. She had to try to at least fix herself for Asami. If she couldn't… She shook her head of the thought. She couldn't worry about that now. She had to find a solution to her weakened mind and body._

* * *

Tears dripped down her face. Her arms shook as she tightened her hold on her girlfriend. She listened to Korra's story and could hardly believe what she heard, though it explained a lot.

Korra was tense in her arms. She finally told her broken story and didn't know what to expect from her girlfriend. It was a serious matter if they were to continue their relationship. Korra's heart froze and her chest tightened. What if Asami didn't accept her problems? She unknowingly got up and began pacing the living room.

Asami faintly acknowledged the absence of presence next to her. So many thoughts were running through her head and she didn't know where to start. She heard indistinct muttering and finally looked up to see what Korra was doing. She warily stood up to approach her. The Avatar was pacing and hugging herself. "Korra," she said, grabbing her shoulders. The waterbender avoided her gaze and remained tense. Asami moved her hands to her neck to tip her chin up. "Korra."

The tan woman hesitantly looked up with misty eyes. "Please don't leave me…"

Asami went wide-eyed and abruptly pulled Korra into her embrace. "I won't leave you, Korra. I love you. We're going to work through this together." They pulled just an inch apart to be able to look into each other's eyes. "I'm glad you finally opened up to me. Please just don't shut me out again. I want to be there for you."

Korra nodded immediately with her own tears dripping down her face. "I was scared of what you would think of me, but I promise I won't hide anything anymore."

Asami hugged her tighter with the resolve to never let her beloved go again.

* * *

Asami usually got home from work rather late in the evening, so she found it odd that Korra was not home yet when she arrived. Unless she was called into the city for help she was normally home when Asami came in. The CEO hung her purse next to the front door and went into the kitchen to see if she left a note. She sighed when she found one from Korra saying that she was in a surprise meeting with Raiko. That man was so unprofessional, Asami couldn't wait for him to get booted. She went upstairs to take a shower to calm herself from work so she could be there for her girlfriend to talk to.

Korra dragged herself through the front door. Raiko was officially at the top of the list of things she hated, even before mornings. She sighed as she tore her boots off and walked deeper into the mansion. She blinked when she saw Asami waiting for her on the couch clad in pajamas and had tea on the table. Asami smiled when she saw her girlfriend and sat up. "How was it?"

Korra groaned and plopped beside her on the couch. "I can't wait for the elections."

"Me too, Korra. What did he want anyway?"

Korra sat up as emotion filled her at the thought of Raiko. "He didn't even need me there! He always does this – calling me in to meetings just for appearance."

Asami slid up to her side and hugged her. "I like having you for appearance."

Korra chuckled and leaned back again. "That's different. I'm your girlfriend."

Asami rested her head on her chest, listening to the soothing effect of the woman's beating heart. "Yes and I thoroughly enjoy showing the world how much you mean to me." She leaned up to the table and grabbed the two mugs. "Do you think you can heat these up? I didn't think you'd be out so long." She asked sheepishly.

Korra smiled and eagerly used her firebending to heat up their teas. She sighed as the hot liquid calmed her body. "Thank you, Asami. I'm feeling a lot better now."

Asami smiled happily at her effort to cheer up her girlfriend and grabbed the remote to finish the night with some cuddling and television.

* * *

Asami had crawled into bed late in the night after finishing paperwork. Korra was fast asleep, sprawled all over the bed and snoring slightly. The CEO grinned at the sight and slid next to her to hold her hand.

It had probably only been an hour since Asami fell asleep that she felt her lover fidgeting in bed. She rolled over to face her and saw a pained expression upon her beloved's features and tears rolling down her face. She immediately sat up. She gently rubbed her cheeks and spoke quietly into her ear. "Korra, wake up. It's okay. It's just a dream."

In her nightmare state Korra tried to push Asami away, but the older woman caught her hands and pinned them to her sides. She demanded a little harsher this time for the Avatar to wake up before she did something in her sleep. After another minute of fidgeting around, Korra woke with a start. The Avatar started crying even more once she was awake.

"Shh, shh! It's okay, Korra. You're safe. Look around you." Asami whispered to her.

Korra took a few breaths and glanced around. She was safe at home in Asami's bed. She was safe with Asami. She continued taking in deep breaths and began to calm down. "It's just a dream."

Asami nodded quickly. "Yes, it was just a dream. None of it was really happening. You're safe."

 _You're safe._ Korra nodded and her muscles relaxed, causing Asami to let go of her wrists. She rolled onto her side and Asami laid down with her. The CEO gently cupped the other's cheeks. "I love you, Korra, and I need you."

 _You're needed._ Korra sighed contently then wrapped her arms around her lover and tucked her head under her chin. Asami grinned as Korra began to settle down and hugged her in return.

"I love you too, Asami. Thank you…" Korra whispered as she fell asleep in the comfort of her lover's arms.

* * *

They were supposed to be on their way to dinner with Bolin and Opal, but Asami always took longer than expected to get ready. She finally finished getting ready to go out and stepped out of the bathroom. Korra sat patiently on the bed and smiled her signature grin at her when she appeared. She blushed and turned away sheepishly until a finger under her chin turned her back around. Asami smiled playfully and gently pecked her on the lips. "Ready Kor?"

The Avatar nodded eagerly and hopped up to follow her out of the bedroom. Together they walked down the hall to the stairway. Asami watched Korra out of the corner of her eye. She had been testing her lately in hopes to help her change the thoughts in Korra's head. As soon as they approached the overlook, Korra looked to Asami and away from the banister. She grabbed her hand and leaned slightly into the CEO. Asami beamed at the small success and hooked their arms together. It would take time and problems would probably reoccur, but Asami was willing to do whatever it took to bring Korra back to her.


	24. Ch 23 Surviving Death: Zombie AU Part 4

Several deep groans could be heard through the forestry. Soft footsteps cautiously crunched on the snow to avoid detection. The traveler's bag was partially full from her current scavenge for supplies. She paid no mind to the monsters. They were a regular thing in their current world now. Nature had decided the fate of even the fittest and smartest of mankind. She didn't know how she continued to survive every day but she pushed herself to live still. As she marched forward, a cluster of groans could be heard to her left. This only urged her to keep moving, until she heard a piercing cry. She froze and glanced back. Were her ears deceiving her? She knew it was stupid, but she had to check it out.

Riko brushed some branches apart and came upon an abandoned house in a clearing. She grit her teeth together as the crying continued to agitate the dead. She circled the house for a way in with fewer zombies in the way. Both front and back doors were crowded. She counted bodies and decided that the back door had better chances of survival. Plus the cold weather slowed them down. She snuck up from behind and stabbed a few in the head until she had a clear path inside.

Once inside she shoved the fridge over to barricade the door. She quickly surveyed the house to make sure it was safe. She sooner rather than later found herself upstairs and opening each room in search of the noise. In the last door, she finally found it and her eyes widened. A basket laid in the middle of the room with a faded gray blanket thrown over top. She slowly peeled back the material and gasped. An infant laid crying in the makeshift carrier. A tag stuck out against the handle.

 _'_ _I'm so sorry sweet Olivia.'_

Riko's heart dropped into her gut. Someone had left their child behind to die in order to save themselves. They probably couldn't afford to have a crying baby if they didn't have a permanent home and were traveling. Babies attracted walkers like moths to a flame. She sighed and then grimaced when glass could be heard shattering downstairs. She needed to move fast. She looked for better means of carrying the child in order to use both arms to make it out alive but found nothing. However, she did find baby supplies on the nightstand. She swept the supplies into her backpack and took off her coat. She placed her coat underneath and around the child to keep her warm. The walkers finally busted down the front door. Riko quickly pushed over a bookshelf to block to bedroom door. She swiped the basket in one hand, and rammed open a window with her other hand.

This was completely stupid. She was going to get herself killed over an orphaned baby. Internally she knew that the only way for their world to continue was to have someone to leave it to.

Riko kneeled on the roof and searched for a way down. There were fewer walkers on the front side now that they were coming in. This was her chance. She tested the sewage pipe's strength on the side of the house. It seemed rickety but it would have to do. With a firm grip on the basket she slid down. It began ripping away from the foundation halfway through her descent and she dropped to the ground with about ten feet to the ground still. She landed on her feet, constraining her knees to take the force of the impact. While it was beginning to snow, there was only a tiny layer so it didn't help cushion the impact by much. She grunted in pain and surveyed her surroundings with a wince. Her free hand grabbed her gun as some zombies noticed her and advanced. There was no point in being sneaky now that she had a crying baby in her arms. She fired her gun twice at walkers who got too close and forced herself to run for a successful getaway.

* * *

"We were supposed to meet up after we split during the run. Why isn't she back yet?" Karina asked aloud to Mako.

The man shrugged and continued to maintain his guard duty over the eastern wing, though he did think it was strange that Riko still wasn't back. Karina's footprints lined the roof from her pacing. "I'm going to look for her. Something must be keeping her up."

Mako didn't want to state the obvious reason she wouldn't return, but he also couldn't let her go back out on her own. "I'll go with you. If she's in danger, then you will be too."

"I'll be fine, Mako. It's not like-"

Both went wide-eyed as a red flare suddenly shot through the sky in the distance. In an instant, Karina slid over the side of the bus and was running in the direction of the flare. Mako sputtered in shock. He told the other guard to get help before following after the tan woman.

* * *

Riko keeled over and rested her hands on her aching knees, but she refused to let go of the basket. She learned from before not to let go of the very thing that she was protecting. 'Don't let go…'

She huffed as she pulled herself upright and was about to continue the journey home when she heard a shout. "Riko!" She glanced up and smiled in relief. Karina engulfed her in a tight hug. "You scared me! What-"

The groaning of monsters interrupted her. Riko pushed her forward with new vigor. "We've got to get out of here. I just kidnapped a life from the hands of death."

Karina was about to ask what she was talking about when a brash cry answered her question. A baby? Out here?! It was almost impossible to imagine. Mako caught up to them and quickly ushered them to follow him back home after stabbing a few stray zombies.

Together they made it back to the compound. The town leaders which included Korra and Asami were waiting for them at the wall. They could see Korra pacing on top of the bus as they approached. Asami tugged on the tan woman's sleeve and pointed over to them. Korra practically jumped off of the bus and ran towards them.

"Are you hurt?!" Korra questioned as she cupped her daughter's face.

Riko shook her off. "No, I'm fine now that we escaped from the walkers."

"What happened? You're usually so careful. How-" Korra's questions were halted by abrupt crying from below. She looked down and gasped when she saw the baby. "Is that…" Korra glanced up to her daughter to receive a nod. She quickly ushered them back inside to safety. "C'mon, let's get inside so we can figure this out."

* * *

"I can't believe you would do something so reckless! You know the rules! We have a partner system for a reason!" Korra yelled at the two women sitting in her office. It had been a few years since the town was established and was very well populated now. Korra and Asami had turned their first floor into an office now that they were leaders of the town. Riko and Karina eagerly moved into their own house, happy to finally get some real privacy along with renewed safety.

"We said we were sorry." Riko mumbled.

Korra scoffed. "No, _you_ said it was no big deal! Look at yourself!" Riko pouted as she was well aware of the pain in her knees. "I can tell you're injured."

"It's not that bad, mom."

"If you had Karina with you then maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"I saved a freaking baby! What more do you want?!" Riko yelled in return and hastily staggered to her feet. Both women huffed in rage.

Karina cautiously stood in between them. "I know we broke a rule by splitting up. It won't happen again I assure you, but Riko did save a life."

Korra sighed and sat down at her desk. The young couple sat back down too. "The council was very upset about you breaking that rule. We have it for a reason. They decided that you both are suspended from runs for a month."

"What?!" Both women jumped back to their feet in an instant. "That's ridiculous!" Riko yelled.

"For once I'm with Riko. We're your best runners!"

"And that's why we can't risk you!" Korra roared. Both younger women recoiled in surprise. "The rules we have are in place for a reason. You travel in teams for safety and strength. We can handle a month without your skills, but we would truly suffer if something were to happen to you because of your carelessness. And I will not lose you two to something so stupid…" They blinked in shock as a different emotion slipped through. "If you can't handle that, then it's your choice to change your contributing job."

The girls hung their heads in shame and understanding. One after the other, they both sat back down. Korra sighed inwardly. "Now we have the matter of the child you saved." They perked back up at this. "You're not obligated to do anything for her now. You did do an incredible deed by saving her, something she will never be able to repay you for. She's safe and alive because of you."

Riko sighed, happy with her decision. "So what will happen with her now?"

Korra grinned. "This is up to you." Riko furrowed her brow in confusion. "You alone saved her. If you want to keep her as yours, I see no problem with it. If you don't, we will take care of her together as a team. It does take a village to raise a child."

Riko's eyes widened at the thought and she quickly looked to her girlfriend to see her reaction. Karina had an even more surprised expression on her face. "Are you serious?"

Korra nodded. Riko got out of her seat and paced a few steps until her pain got the better of her. She rested her forearm on the wall to keep standing. "B-But we've never taken care of a child before! We've never even talked about it since it would be pretty much impossible! How can you expect this out of us?!" Riko asked not in anger but more in shock.

"Like I said, it's up to you."

Riko dropped her head in thought. She felt a hand slip into hers and glanced back up. Karina smiled down at her. "While I think we should think this over, I'd still like to meet her. I didn't get a good look at her before she was taken to the clinic."

Riko smiled and looked at her mother. Korra nodded with a smile and shooed them off.

* * *

A soft knock came on the clinic door. The town doctor glanced over her shoulder curiously with a bundle in her arms. "Come in." She smiled when she saw Korra's daughter and her girlfriend. "Ah, just the girls I wanted to see. I heard you took quite a tumble saving this little one."

Riko smiled nervously while rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah, but I'm okay. How is she?"

Kya just chuckled to herself and sat the baby back in the crib. "She is fine. Not a scratch on her. I'm more concerned about you. You know you're supposed to come straight here after your runs."

Karina sighed. "Korra felt the need to lecture us immediately."

Kya laughed aloud this time and wandered over. "Of course she did. She was so scared that something had happened to you two. Now sit down so I can examine you."

Riko groaned and sat down on the examination table. She gasped when she saw her swollen knees after Kya rolled up her pants leg. "Holy shit. I didn't think it would be this bad."

"Yeah well I'm not surprised from what I was told. I don't know how you managed to walk all the way back."

Riko grimaced in pain as Kya poked her kneecap. "I had to make it back. It wasn't just my life on the line. And I'm feeling the repercussions of it now."

"This is pretty serious, Riko. You might be stuck to a bed for a few weeks." Kya said.

"What?! You're crazy, doc."

Kya rose a brow. "You're walking today, but you will definitely be feeling this in the morning and for a while after. You put a lot of strain on your knees just trying to get home. Now sit still. I can tell you already have a fever, too."

"Wha?" Riko stopped to examine herself. She did feel warm in the cheeks and her stomach was feeling unsettled. A giggle broke her out of her train of thought. What she saw brought a smile to her face. Karina was standing by the window with the baby wrapped in a bundle. The woman was gently rubbing her cheek with her thumb and beamed when the child grabbed her finger. Riko sighed happily and plopped back into the bed. "It was all worth it."

Kya gently smiled at the thought that Riko was already in love with that child. She hoped that they would want to keep the baby for themselves, but first they all had to be healthy. "Alright, open up. I gotta check your temp."

Karina paced slowly with the bundle of joy in her arms. While she was worried about Riko, she was a grown woman who could take care of herself. This little baby was completely dependent on them. Her heart swelled at the thought of having this baby as their own. It would probably be their only chance. She picked her head up in surprise when she heard Riko's shouts of pain.

Riko arched her back as Kya continued to evaluate her knee injuries. She honestly didn't think it would be this bad, but damn this was one of the worst pains she ever felt. She threw her arms over her face and held onto one wrist. She felt someone grab her hand and peeked open one eye. Karina stood over her and smiled reassuringly. "You're okay. I'm right here with you. Olivia's asleep now as long as you keep it down."

Riko nodded thoughtlessly and shivered. Karina noticed and grabbed a blanket from the supply closet. Her girlfriend eagerly took the blanket from her and curled her upper half into the material. The older girl lovingly rubbed her head in an attempt to distract her. "You know you can probably take your coat back now. I don't think Olivia needs it anymore."

Riko shakily giggled. "I'll get it on my way out."

Karina shook her head good-naturedly. "I still can't believe what you did. That was such a selfless act that could've got you killed, but I couldn't be more proud."

Riko sighed and inwardly agreed. After a few more minutes of pain, Kya stood. "This is going to sound crazy, but you need ice on your knees."

Riko groaned. "It's winter! I'm already cold enough!"

"Settle down, child. Don't worry, I've got a plan."

After 20 minutes of putting everything together, Kya's plan was in place. Riko's upper half was bundled up in several blankets. A bag full of icy snow was placed on each knee. Then more blankets covered her feet. A cold rag was atop of forehead to calm her raising temperature. Riko felt quite cozy actually.

"Alright Kya, now how am I going to get home?" Riko asked curiously.

Kya chuckled as she hauled a portable box heater into the room. "Oh, you're not going anywhere tonight, hun. You're staying right there until morning."

Riko almost sat back up to argue, but Karina quickly ushered her back down by her shoulders. "Do you mind if I stay with her?" Karina asked gently.

Kya smiled as she hit a switch to turn on the generator. "I urge you to actually. This one of the only houses with actual heat. Though I only turn it on when there are patients here."

Riko pouted as Karina smirked at her. "Looks like you're getting sleep tonight."

Riko scoffed. "Yeah right, I'll still be up. An injury isn't going to put me down."

The two older women chuckled. Kya then motioned Karina to the other examination table to check for injuries. It was just a safety precaution to get seen by the doctor after leaving the safety of the walls that was enacted after someone returned with a bite and didn't tell anybody.

Two hours later, Riko was fast asleep. Karina was peacefully asleep in the other bed. Somehow everything had turned out alright today. They were all exhausted. Soon, a sharp cry woke her up. Karina sleepily sat up and slid over to the crib to pick up the baby. The smell was evident that she needed changing. Karina didn't give a second thought about it and gently laid the child back down to change her diaper. Afterwards she rocked her in her arms to soothe her back to sleep but the crying didn't stop. She rose a brow in confusion and glanced down at the baby. She heard gentle footsteps coming from upstairs. Kya appeared around the corner with a smile.

"Did you change her?" Karina nodded. "Maybe she's hungry then."

The young woman looked around for the supplies her girlfriend found. "It's a good thing Riko found these with her. I'm sorry we woke you up."

Kya chuckled and helped mix the formula. "It's fine, dear. I usually get up to check on the patients anyway." She handed the bottle to Karina and then wandered over to her actual patient. She slowly removed the now watery bags from her knees. "She won't be needing these all night. You know how it goes – 20 on, 40 off. Though I did fall asleep and left them on a bit longer than that."

Karina smiled at her as the baby suckled on the bottle. "I'm sure Riko will be fine. She recovers fast."

Kya chuckled in understanding and pulled up the blankets over the girl's knees. "Well I'll need her to be able to feel her knees in the morning so I can really see where she's at."

After everyone was settled back in bed, Kya stopped around the corner to think. 'They really should take her. I can tell they've both already connected with her. Karina even tried to take the blame for waking me up. Heh…'

* * *

Riko slowly woke up the next morning when a faint cry woke her up. The commotion of the morning became louder as she regained consciousness. She didn't feel cold anymore but still pulled the blankets tighter to her. The crying in the room stopped as the dull sound of a bottle being used was heard.

"Wake up, sleepyhead." Riko peeked open one eye and saw her girlfriend hovering over her with the baby in hand. A smile slid onto her face at the sight. She didn't understand it yet but she was falling in love with the idea of having a family.

Karina walked away with a knowing smile and Riko sat up with a groan. "I wouldn't get up yet if I were you."

Riko rose a brow. "Why's that?"

Her girlfriend chuckled. "Kya said you'd probably wouldn't be able to stand up on your own."

She scowled. "Yeah right." She then proceeded to slid out of the bed and fall directly onto the floor like dead weight. "Owww…"

"I told you so."

"You really should listen to your girlfriend. She's quite smart." Kya commented as she entered the room and helped Riko sit back on the bed.

"Yeah and she's a vixen, too." Riko replied.

A deep blush covered Karina's face. "Riko! Why would you say that?!"

Riko laughed with a smirk. "It's true. I think the whole town knows when we get busy."

"Alright smartass. That's enough." Kya stopped her. She grabbed the girl's hands and motioned for her to stand. Riko took a deep breath and forced herself to her feet. "Ahh!" She grit her teeth as pain erupted through her legs. Kya had a firm grip on her forearms. Karina watched with worry and finished as fast as possible with the baby to help.

Riko's legs began to wobble and she was slowly losing her focus to stand. Kya noticed and urgently ushered her to sit. She gasped in relief as she no longer felt pain surging through her.

Kya sighed and rubbed her chin. "Just like I suspected last night. You're gonna be on bedrest for a while."

Riko groaned and laid back. "Well we're already suspended from runs so what's it matter."

Karina finally walked back to them. "So what now?" She asked the doctor.

Kya shrugged. "Let her rest here for a bit until she's feeling better and I guess return home so she can crash in her own bed. I've got some painkillers you can take and I'll come by every few days to check her progress.

Karina nodded and ran a hand through her hair.

"So how am I getting back home?" Riko asked curiously when she was feeling better 20 minutes later.

Karina didn't answer immediately as she was packing a bag with their supplies from Kya. Then she tossed it onto her back and marched over. Riko slid back in unease at the look her girlfriend was giving her. Suddenly she was hoisted up into two arms. She peeked open a scrunched eye and blushed. Karina stood proudly and began walking towards the door that Kya held open for them. "I'll see you girls soon."

Riko pouted and held tight to her girlfriend. A few townspeople were up and eyed them confusingly. "You know this would be sexy if it wasn't so embarrassing."

Karina smiled. "You should be proud. You saved a baby."

Riko sighed and threw her head back so her vision was upside-down. "Just get me home please."

* * *

The house was quiet as Karina cooked dinner a few nights later. Riko was laying in the living room, playing cards by herself. Ice bags sat on her knees as her daily treatment. The past few days had been boring since they weren't going on runs like regularly. After some time Karina walked in with two plates of dinner and removed the bags from her girlfriend's knees so she could sit up. Riko smiled her thanks and they began to eat from the couch.

Karina carefully sat down her plate when she finished and sighed. "This is wrong."

Riko finished her last bite and sat her plate down as well. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I think we should keep the baby as ours. And it's not just because we're bored. It just feels so right. It all felt so in place when I took care of her at Kya's." She glanced to her girlfriend. "How do you feel about this?"

Riko gulped and shrugged. "I mean I want to keep her but I don't have much experience dealing with babies. What if I'm not good enough?"

Karina held her hand and rose a brow. "You think I'm not scared, too?"

Riko shook her head. "No, but I already saw you handling her. You were doing great."

Karina slid closer to her. "We're in this together. We'll learn as we go."

Riko took a breath, peeked up to her girlfriend, and smiled.


	25. Ch 24 Surviving Death: Zombie AU Part 5

A knock on the front door woke Riko from her slumber on the couch. She had slept there in favor of not having to be carried everywhere by her girlfriend. She threw her head back down to go back to sleep but the knocking continued. She huffed and sat up.

"My, you certainly are a fast healer." Kya commented when her patient opened the door.

Riko gripped the doorframe tight as she moved aside to let the doctor in. "Well, it has been a week."

Kya nodded as she sat down her bag. "And how do you feel?"

Riko gratefully sat back down. "Better than a week ago. I can walk for short periods of time but it still leaves a lasting ache."

"That's progress at least." Kya began pressing on the muscles around her knees to evaluate her level of pain.

Riko grimaced but it was tolerable. She decided to talk to her doctor as she worked. "So uh, Kya, how's the baby?"

Kya smiled knowingly and looked up. "She's doing fine. Why do you ask?"

Riko blushed and scrunched her face. She didn't have the guts to ask Kya any more.

"We would like to take her." A voice spoke up from behind. The duo looked over and saw Karina still clad in her sweatpants and t-shirt. The woman rubbed her face to get rid of the sleep and sat down with them.

Kya's smile never faltered. "I was wondering when you two would have the guts to ask. Even the council approved of it, surprisingly. Something about making up for your mistake."

The couple pouted and Karina crossed her arms. "I already said that it wouldn't happen again. I'm still angry that Riko went and got hurt without backup."

Kya spoke up before the couple could start bantering with each other. "Alright, stand up. I need to see you walk for as long as possible." Riko sighed and stood up, then waited for further instruction. "Just keep walking around the house until you can't keep going."

Riko finished her fifth lap around the first floor when she first grabbed for the wall. The other two rushed to her side. Karina tried to guide her away, but Riko stayed put. Kya noticed. "How bad does it hurt?"

Riko huffed and squeezed her girlfriend's hand. "Like an 8, but I could push myself."

"No, it's okay. I don't want you to hurt yourself more. Go ahead and sit down."

Riko let herself be guided back to the couch.

"You're recovering at a good pace. Just keep up what you're doing. Now, when do you want me to bring the baby over?"

Riko and Karina blinked. This was really happening. "Um," Karina spoke up nervously. "Is tomorrow okay?"

Kya smiled and grabbed her bag. "Sure is. I'll have Korra help with bringing over the supplies."

Once Kya was gone, the couple looked at each other warily. "We're doing this." Riko commented.

Karina smiled reassuringly. "We're gonna be parents."

* * *

Karina excitedly opened the door the next morning when a knock was heard. She gasped at the bundled up child in the carrier. A glint in her eye could be seen as she looked up at the doctor. Kya smiled and offered the carrier to her. She took it with a gulp.

Riko was watching this unfold from her spot on the couch. Now she was certain as she watched happy tears fall from Karina's eyes. This is what she wanted.

"Alright, move over! Crib coming through!" Everyone jumped away as Korra pushed the folded up crib in.

"Mom, what are you doing?!" Riko called over.

Korra huffed. "Helping transfer all of Olivia's stuff! Not like you're in condition to do any heavy lifting."

Riko was about to retort but Karina suddenly cut her off when she sat down next to her. She had the baby in her arms now. She motioned her to sit closer. Riko did warily and gasped when Karina motioned to give her the baby. She tensely held her arms out as the baby was gently laid in her arms. Her heart beat a mile a minute. She paid no attention as Karina left to help with the supplies and simply stared at the precious life in her hands. The baby had a small tuft of brown hair and a gentle smile on her face as she slept. She was going to be their entire life now.

* * *

It was the third night in a row and there was no way the couple was prepared for this. Olivia probably woke up a dozen times a night. Karina slumped out of bed. She yelped as she tripped over the heater's wire and the machine shut off. She fumbled in the darkness to plug the heater back in. She sighed when she accomplished that and walked over to the crib in their room. A putrid smell swarmed her nose and she gagged. Ugh, it was going to be a nasty one.

After a few minutes she finished the task of cleaning up their new daughter and putting her back to sleep. She eyed her girlfriend who continued to sleep peacefully thanks to the heater provided for them only because they had a child now. Who knew how much a heater could help in the middle of winter?

Karina sighed and crawled back into bed. 'What did we get ourselves into?'

* * *

Riko had just finish her ice treatment for the day when a rancid smell wafted through the house. She quickly covered her nose as her girlfriend marched into the room. "I've changed her four times so far! It's your turn!"

Riko gaped, but quickly shut her mouth from the smell. "O-Okay." She mumbled.

She firmly grabbed the baby from her and laid her across the couch. She gulped and hesitantly undid the diaper. She immediately coughed and shoved her nose into her elbow.

Karina smirked in victory as Riko yelled out at the disgusting thing that is a poopy diaper.

* * *

The back door was propped open, letting the cool spring breeze in. Riko had paced around the living room a dozen times. Olivia rested in her arms as she sucked on a bottle. Karina watched from the couch. "Don't let her drink too fast. She can choke."

The younger woman quickly adjusted so Olivia could drink at her own pace. She was learning to take care of her new daughter while also trying to rebuild her strength in her legs.

Soon Olivia finished the bottle and Karina stood up to help with the next step. "Okay, now you need to burp her."

Riko rose a brow. She had seen the other woman do it a few times. "How do you know what to do?"

Karina smiled and ruffled her hair. "Maybe it's just motherly instinct. Now place her here." She positioned the baby so that she laid on her chest, resting her head on her shoulder, and placed a cloth underneath her. "Just pat her back until she burps."

Riko began patting the baby's back, but nothing happened. "Am I doing it wrong?" She asked uncertainly.

Karina laughed. "Well, you aren't patting her that hard."

"I don't wanna hurt her!" Riko exclaimed.

Karina chuckled some more and held her hands out for them to trade. Riko eagerly handed her the child and watched in awe at her girlfriend's baby skills. She could hear the _pat_ of her hand thumping against her back and after a few times a loud burp erupted from the child.

Karina saw the surprised look on her girlfriend's face and smiled. "And that's it."

* * *

Olivia grasped Karina's thumbs with her small baby hands and giggled loudly. Karina smiled at the simple joy. Riko was doing her daily jog around the first floor. After passing her family for the fourth time, Olivia noticed and fumbled in her mother's lap to go to her. Karina shook her head good-naturedly and whistled to her girlfriend. Riko saw her place their daughter on the floor to crawl to her. She smiled and kneeled down for her to come to her. They weren't surprised when she grabbed the couch, but they were shocked when she stood up completely on her own. The couple glanced at each other in shock and watched to see what would happen.

Olivia pulled herself to her feet and took a few shaky steps towards her younger mother. They immediately smiled bright when she made it to Riko before falling into her embrace. Riko cheered and hugged her tight.

* * *

Riko sat on the couch playing with Olivia while her girlfriend cooked dinner. The baby had one of the few baby toys anyone had ever found on runs. She giggled as she shook it and it rattled loudly. Riko smiled as the innocence of it all. Suddenly Olivia paused and looked up to the woman. "M…m…mmm…"

Riko went wide-eyed and grabbed her daughter in enthusiasm. She kept quiet but was going wild with joy in her mind.

"M… Ma-ee."

"Karina!"

The older woman dashed into the room with a ladle. She looked for a source of danger but only found her two favorite girls smiling at her.

"Ma-mee!"

Karina dropped the spoon and rushed to the couch. The infant raised her hands in a silent request to be held. Her older mom happily picked her up and spun her in her arms. "Mommy!"

Tears fell from both women's eyes at the sound of their child saying her first word.

* * *

The summer heat was starting to be a problem, but hopefully it would cool down as fall approached. It was another restless night for the family. The child's wails woke up the couple for the third time in an hour. Karina groaned and rolled over. She felt the bed move beneath her and sighed her thanks.

Riko carefully crawled out of bed and plucked their daughter out of the crib. She quickly changed her again and fed her a premade bottle. She then rocked her to back to sleep and hummed as the baby listened to her heartbeat, an act she had perfected as a mother.

Karina rolled back over after silence had returned but her girlfriend hadn't. She smiled sleepily.

Riko sat in the rocking chair, soothing their child even after she fell back asleep. She saw her girlfriend roll back over in search of her and winked at her. Riko thought that these moments were the best, when she got to soothe their aching child and Karina appeared oddly sexy to her with her hair thrown about and the careless way she reached for her body for comfort.

Karina chuckled and rested her head on Riko's pillow. Riko leaned back into the rocking chair and held Olivia close to her.

Karina gently shut the door to their daughter's room. The child was finally asleep after singing to her for 30 minutes. She sighed in relief when she heard no complaints about her leaving. She tiptoed back to her bedroom and slid into bed with her lover. Riko groaned and wrapped her arms around her. Karina sighed at the touch and relaxed into the cushions. Sleep began to take them for the night when a loud _bang_ disrupted the silence of the night. Instantly Olivia was crying. Karina ran into her room and held her tight while Riko rushed to the closet to grab her survival gear.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Karina asked in the doorway holding their crying daughter.

Riko finished tying her boots and huffed as she threw on her bag. "We talked about this. If something goes down, you need to be ready to leave. I'm going to check it out."

"Are you sure you should go?" Karina argued and clutched onto Riko's shirt sleeve as she walked past.

Riko sighed and kissed her passionately. "Be ready. You never know when it'll be time to leave. If I haven't returned and it looks bad, you leave without me, understand?"

Karina looked shocked, then gulped and nodded. Riko kissed the top of Olivia's head and marched down the stairs.

* * *

Riko stomped down the street with a gun in one hand and a machete in the other. Whatever was the cause of that gunshot had hell to pay. She headed towards the west entrance where it seemed to come from. Other villagers were headed there as well with their weapons drawn.

"This is such fucking crap!" A familiar voice growled.

Riko looked behind her and saw her mother stomping towards the wall. "Mom, what's going on?"

"We have guests who were shooting walkers as they were approaching the town, at least that's what they told me over the radio." Korra growled. She marched up the steps to the wall and demanded to know what was going on. The guard cowered and pointed to the man and woman who were safe inside the wall and had their hands tied and their weapons taken away. They didn't seem to care, though, just happy to be safe.

Riko eyed them as she meandered through the small crowd. Something about them caught her attention, but she didn't know what it was or why. She shook it off as nothing.

"Alright, listen up everyone! We're probably gonna have a decent size group of walkers coming this way. I need a small group of fighters to stay. The rest of you can return to your homes."

Everyone looked around to see who was willing to stay. Riko realized that no one really wanted to stay but a few people stood up to the task. She knew that they'd need more help and followed them.

Korra scowled when her daughter volunteered to stay back. "What are you doing? You've got a family now."

"It's fine, mom. We're just going to clear any walkers that show up. Nothing bad is going to happen." Riko answered with a smirk.

Korra crossed her arms. "I don't like it, but fine. Just be careful."

"Hey, careful is my middle name!" Riko joked.

Korra rolled her eyes and handed her a spear. "More like careless."

* * *

Karina loosely held a gun in her hand. She was laying against the living room wall with Olivia asleep in her lap. Sleep was gaining on her, but she was determined to stay awake until Riko returned or be forced to leave otherwise.

She jolted awake when the doorknob jiggled. She quickly raised her gun.

"Put that thing down! It's just me!" Riko yelled when she stepped through the door.

Karina sighed in relief and relaxed completely, laying her gun on the floor. She raised her eyes in concern at her girlfriend. Riko was covered in blood and dirt. "What happened?"

Riko rubbed the back of her neck and sat down next to her. "Some outsiders where shooting walkers as they came up on the town. A small herd was drawn in and I stayed back to help. Don't worry, Kya already cleared everyone. She's working on the outsiders now." Riko said as Karina looked at her with worry.

"Okay… So do you know anything about them?"

Riko shrugged. "Not yet, but something felt weird about it all."

"Mommy?" The couple looked down at their daughter. "Mommy okay?"

Riko smiled and rubbed her head. "Yes, mommy's okay. She just had to take care of something. We're safe."

Olivia smiled and laid her head back down. The couple looked back at each other. "Can we go back to bed now? I didn't sleep at all." Karina asked.

Riko nodded happily. "Yeah, I'm a little tired too."

* * *

"We should go visit that new couple." Karina announced as she cooked dinner.

Riko looked up questionably from the floor where their daughter played. "I thought they were only staying to rest for a few days."

Karina chuckled and stood in the living room entrance. "Yes, that's what they initially said. But when I talked to them at the pantry, they suggested otherwise and I told them they would have to talk it over with the council."

Riko now stood up with her. "Wait, what did they say?"

"That they'd like to at least stay a few months now to ride out the winter that's coming soon, which is understandable."

"It also means they might get too comfortable here and want to stay permanently."

"But isn't that what we want? We need people to survive."

"We have a lot of people now, hun. It's not like when we first started and needed it. Now it's just another mouth to feed. And it's getting harder to find food as time goes on."

Karina crossed her arms and scowled. "You weren't thinking like this when you rescued Olivia."

Riko gaped. "What? That's different! She's a helpless child! They are two grown adults!"

Karina rubbed her forehead. "Maybe this is something you need to discuss with Korra."

Riko sighed exasperatedly. "I'm not on the council. Just because Korra is my mom doesn't mean I have any say in their decisions." Karina looked at her expectantly. Riko drooped her shoulders. "Fineee, I'll go."

Karina smiled brightly. "Great! You can help with cooking then!"

"Ugh…"

* * *

Karina knocked cheerfully onto the wooden door. "Is this really a good idea? We don't even know them." Riko asked nervously.

"It's fine. We don't really know anyone who enters here, but they all get a chance right?" Karina responded.

Riko sighed and gripped her daughter's hand. The child beamed up at her, cheering her up a bit. The door hesitantly pulled open and there stood a tall skinny man who recently showered and shaved. "Uh, can I help you?"

Karina perked up. "Oh, we just wanted to welcome you to our town! I made you some pie! I hope you like peaches."

The man smiled gratefully. "Oh, thank you! That's much appreciated. It's been so long since we had real food."

"Well if you need anything, we're just a few houses over, house number 12."

"Thank you so much. And who are you, child?" The man asked and kneeled down to their daughter.

"Oh, where are my manners? My name's Karina. This is my girlfriend Riko and our daughter-"

"Olivia?"

Both women instantly went wide-eyed. How did he know her name? Tears appeared in the man's eyes. Riko made the connection quickly and swooped up the girl in her arms.

"I-I can't believe it. Is it really her?" He cried and yelled for his wife to come outside.

"She's not yours any longer, not since you abandoned her." Riko growled.

"You don't understand! We did what we could to protect her, but it's not safe with a baby out there!" He yelled. His wife appeared and asked what was going on, which caused the man to become angrier. "She's ours! We made her and raised her for as long as we could!"

"You raised her for all of two weeks! We've been raising her for a year now!" Riko yelled in return.

"Riko, I think you need to calm down. The council will need to be involved with this." Karina whispered calmly. By now a few neighbors had ventured out of their homes to check out the commotion.

The man's wife was surprisingly calm as well and tried to soothe her husband before stepping towards them. "Is it true? Is that our child?"

Karina squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them to face her. "If you left a newborn baby in a basket on the second story of a house about 2 miles from here last winter, then yes."

The woman took a deep breath as she momentarily closed her eyes too. "Can we talk this through calmly? You seem like a reasonable person."

Karina gulped to quell her dry throat. "Ma'am, as calm as I am, I too am not willing to give up this child."

"This is absurd! She's our child! You can't just keep her from us!" The woman yelled.

Finally Korra and Asami had arrived after being called over. "What's going on?" Korra asked in confusion.

Riko growled and hugged Olivia tight to her chest. "They say Olivia is their daughter."

Asami gasped and Korra groaned. "Oh no…"

* * *

Riko growled continuously from beside Karina. She too was quite unhappy with their current situation. They stood at one end of the pavilion while the other couple muttered angrily from the other side. Korra, Asami, Tenzin, Suyin, and old man Iroh sat at the tables under the structure. Each had their names carved into the table in their respective seats. Some townspeople had gathered nearby to watch.

Tenzin was the first to speak up. "Tell me if I've got the situation wrong. Riko," he looked to their side. "You found this child last winter in a house not far from here. You risked your life to save her and you and Karina have been caring for her ever since."

Riko jutted her jaw out. "That's right." She mumbled.

Tenzin sighed and turned to the other couple. "You two are the child's biological parents. You left her in that house locked in a room with her supplies in hopes that someone would rescue her. You couldn't take care of her because of the risks it caused out there."

"Yes sir." The woman answered tensely. "It's not like we wanted to abandon our child. It's almost impossible to live out there with a baby."

Riko growled, but Karina put an arm in front of her to stop her and spoke up for them. "Why didn't you look for a group to take her at least? It's been years since everything happened. Larger groups are starting to form like we did."

The woman sighed exasperatedly. "We tried! We couldn't find anyone and we'd been traveling for two weeks without success."

"I'd never just abandon my child." Riko growled lowly.

Karina stepped in front of her to stop her, but the damage was already done. The other couple were yelling at them again.

"She's our child! We have our rights to her!"

Riko barred her teeth and leaned over her girlfriend. "You gave up those rights the moment you left her to be eaten alive! Who does that?! I risked _my_ life to save the one you gave up on! We changed her diaper, heard her first words, saw her first steps! We're making sure she _survives_! She's _safe_ with us. To you she's just a liability."

Now members of the council were getting antsy at the words Riko threw out.

"Quiet!" Korra ordered as she stood up. Everyone went silent and waited for her to speak. "You two arguing will get us nowhere. We are going to discuss what happened and how to proceed with this. I need both sides to stay _calm and silent._ Understood?"

Everyone nodded. "Good, now leave so the council can further discuss this amongst ourselves."

Both couples left quite unhappily.

* * *

Riko paced in their front yard while Karina sulked on the porch. It wasn't fair. They shouldn't even be having to use the council for this. It was a no brainer for her. She saved her while they abandoned her. She and Karina had raised her for the last year and making sure she survived. What had they done for her? Nothing! They brought her into this world and left her!

Riko's frantic thoughts were yanked to a halt when she felt her shoulders being grabbed. Karina looked into her eyes to reassure her that everything would be okay and began pulling her back towards the meeting area. Riko hadn't even noticed that Asami was standing nearby to let them know that the council was finished talking. The sad smile on her face did nothing to reassure Riko.

* * *

Riko refused to meet eyes with the people she now considered her enemy. She tensely held her girlfriend's hand and waited for the council's decision to be announced. Tenzin stood up wrapped in a shawl. "We've made our decision. I want both sides to know that no bias or animosity affected this decision."

Riko glanced up, wanting Tenzin to hurry up with the announcement.

"Majority voted in favor of the child remaining with Riko and Karina." Tenzin didn't get to say anymore before outbursts were made. The biological parents cried out in anger. Riko huffed and glared at them as they yelled. Karina grabbed her arm in a hurry to return to their daughter.

"She's ours, you hear me?!" Riko ignored their outburst and followed her girlfriend.

"Mommy!" Karina smiled brightly as the child ran into her arms.

"Hi sweetheart, were you good for Pema?" Karina asked. Riko had a hand on both of their backs as she went into protective mode.

Olivia pouted and hid her face in her neck. Karina rose a brow when Pema appeared. The older woman laughed and shook her head. "She thought she would be in trouble over spilled water on the floor."

Karina smiled and pulled Olivia back a little to look at her. "Was it an accident?" The toddler nodded. "Then it's okay. Accidents happen. You didn't mean to." Olivia smiled and hugged her mother tight around the neck. Karina coughed and chuckled. "Thanks so much Pema. We didn't want Olivia to be present at the meeting so we really appreciate this."

Pema waved her hand. "Oh its fine. I wouldn't want her there either. Don't worry about doing anything in return. You all have been through enough with this situation."

The couple smiled their thanks and returned home. Olivia held on tight to Karina. As they approached their house, they heard a small commotion a few houses over. Riko growled and protectively put a hand in front of her two girls. The older couple was being escorted home by Suyin and the man yelled out momentarily before the wife pushed him inside. Riko huffed and ushered her family inside their own home to escape the craziness.

* * *

Riko was glad that she decided for Olivia to sleep in their bed that night when she heard someone or something creep up the stairs. Karina was up in a flash and wrapped her arms around the young child while Riko slowly and skillfully grabbed her gun in the drawer and slid out of bed. Her feet slid quietly onto the floor and she aimed her gun with two hands at the door. The door across the hall could be heard opening. The footsteps were quiet but not silent. Riko moved her finger to the trigger as a heavy boot slid across the floor to their door.

The door slammed against the wall loudly. The man stood there shocked that Riko was ready, but he also already had his gun drawn. The two stood tensely. "You have five seconds to drop your gun and get out of my house before I shoot you dead." Riko growled. She had been in protective mode since the outsiders tried to claim Olivia and she would die before letting those idiots take her back.

The man stood still. Riko counted to four in her head before speaking up again. "You think I'm playing around?!"

 _Bang!_

Karina jolted back, pulling Olivia with her to shield her eyes. Riko huffed in and out as her rage got the best of her. The man laid on the floor shielding his right ear with both hands. He groaned loudly as pain erupted in his eardrum from the gunshot coming so close to his head. Riko went wide-eyed and put her finger back on the trigger quickly as words replayed in her head.

 _"_ _You'd think you had learned to go for the kill when an opportunity arises. You're still too soft." Zaheer chuckled._

No, she would not allow another enemy to get vengeance on her. She was about to press on the trigger but a hand lowered the gun for her. She glanced up and saw the terrified expression on her girlfriend's face.

As for Karina, she had never seen a brighter and scarier fire in Riko's eyes. She really wanted to kill this man. "Give me the gun."

Riko grit her teeth and tensed up, but then relaxed as she handed over the gun. Karina took it and aimed it at the man until help arrived.

Footsteps could be heard racing around the house. Korra rushed to their bedroom door, grabbing onto the doorframe as she stepped over the fallen man and peered into the room in fright. She sighed thankfully when she saw that everyone was okay.

"Holy crap, I couldn't have been more scared when I heard that gunshot." Korra sighed exasperatedly.

Asami was right behind Korra and gasped in relief. She put a hand to her forehead and ran her fingers through her hair. "Damn…"

Karina lowered the gun and Riko slouched to the floor with her back against the bed. She glanced over her shoulder to her daughter huddled in the corner. Riko didn't know if Olivia would be scared of her after seeing what she did, but they met eyes and the child rushed into her arms. Riko smiled tiredly and squeezed her tight.

"Where's the woman?" Karina asked tensely.

Korra kneeled down to the man to assess his injuries while Asami stepped over him to enter the room. "We sent the Bei Fongs over to their house. They should have her by now." Asami replied.

"I want them gone." Riko growled quietly. The other three women glanced at each other. "You already decided that Olivia is ours. If they're gonna react violently against us then they're a liability more than anything." Riko continued.

Korra began to pull the man up to get him out of the house. Asami dropped her head and sighed.

* * *

"You can't kick us out! It's winter!" The woman cried out. Her husband remained quiet as they were ushered to the gate.

"Walkers are slow in winter. You'll be fine. I'm sure you've done it for a while now." Korra persuaded as she handed over two travel bags.

"But the cold…"

"Tch, we don't have much heat here either. Only the young and elderly have their own heaters." Korra answered.

The woman sputtered as she tried thinking of any way that they could stay. Her husband laid a solemn hand on her shoulder and motioned to the gate. "It's not right for us to stay here, not after everything that happened." He struggled to speak as he was still recovering from his ear injury. The woman sighed tiredly and followed him.

Korra watched for a minute as they walked into the foggy morning. "Hey!" The couple glanced back. "If you make it another year out there, maybe you can return if we're forgiving."

The duo shrugged and continue on their new path.

* * *

 _Bonus Scene (Caution!)_

Several years later…

"Mom, do we have to do this today?"

Riko smirked and tied on her boots. "We haven't been out in a while and you still need practice. Korra gave me today to take you out of the walls. Besides, we're getting low on supplies again."

A pre-teen Olivia pouted at the breakfast table. Karina laid a plate on the table for Riko. "Are you sure you don't want me to tag along?"

Riko waved her off. "Nah, it's okay. It's gonna be a quick and simple run for her to practice."

Karina leaned down and pecked her cheek. "Just be safe, please."

Riko smiled gently and leaned up to kiss her properly. "I always am."

"Ah, you two finally getting back out?" Bolin hollered from atop the wall.

"Yep, we'll be back in an hour or so. We're not going far." Riko replied eagerly.

"Got your flare?"

Riko whipped out the orange flare gun from the side pocket of her bag. "You know I always have everything."

Bolin waved his hands in the air in mock apology. "I know, I know. It's just protocol to check. I'll see you guys soon." He replied and started pulling a rope to open the gate.

Olivia had a scowl on her face while Riko looked quite excited to get out into the wild.

Mankind was slowly on the rise to make a comeback. With nature's selected humans left to live, the dead were diminishing as time passed. Humans were strong once again and formed packs which then eliminated the monsters.

There wasn't a walker in sight as the duo marched down the road.

"Where are we going?" Olivia asked.

Riko turned around and walked backwards. "To that old grocery store down the road to see if there's anything left."

Riko groaned and scowled at the sight of the store. It was hard to miss the herd that had gathered in and around the store. The mother and daughter stopped a few blocks away and watched.

"Damn it, now who went and caused that?" Riko huffed. "Whatever. Let's keep moving. It's just practice after all."

They kept walking until they reached the next plaza up the way. Riko surveyed the area and only saw two limping walkers in the parking lot. She motioned to the daughter and together they crept up on them. Riko was right behind her daughter as the girl swung her blade into the monster's head. Riko smiled and gave her a thumbs up, then moved to take out the other creature herself.

Riko huffed in excitement. "Wooh! Hopefully that's all of them. Let's check out a couple stores and head back."

Olivia chuckled at her mother's thrill of adventure. The duo clicked on their flashlights simultaneously as the entered the abandoned plaza. Years of scavenging had put a hurting on the local stores. All they found at first were a couple of expired candy bars. Then after closer inspection they found a box of cereal and a bottle of soda hiding underneath a rack.

"Jackpot!" Riko whispered happily.

"Um, mom?" Olivia cried out quietly as possible.

Riko stood up again and blanched immediately. "How?" She asked in shock.

Through the front window of the store, they could see that the herd was moving into the plaza. Several were already on the sidewalk in front of the stores.

Riko shook her shoulders, then grabbed Olivia. "Okay, next lesson: escaping herds. Just follow my lead and stay quiet no matter what."

Olivia nodded in fright and followed her with haste. Riko moved to the back of the store in search of an emergency exit. She found the old exit sign above a door and tried to open the door, but it was stuck. She pushed harder and the door budged a tiny bit, enough for her to see that a parked vehicle was blocking the door. "Shit. New plan: fight our way out."

* * *

Bolin sat in his lawn chair upon the wall while watching the clouds and daydreaming about his girlfriend. His guard partner was reading a book. He sighed. Nothing ever happened anymore, and while he knows it's a good thing, he's still bored. But this was his contributing job for the good of the group. He began twiddling his fingers when a loud hiss broke the silence. He knew what it was immediately and jumped to his feet. He shielded his eyes from the sun in search of the source. He gasped when he saw a tiny flare shooting through the sky in the distance.

"Oh no! Go get Korra!" Bolin yelled to the other man who instantly hopped down the wall to find reinforcements.

* * *

Riko looked to the front of the store and saw three shadows limp inside. She quickly put a finger to her mouth to tell her daughter to remain silent. She grabbed her hand and slowly guided her to the front door. A quiet gasp escaped the young girl's mouth and Riko grit her teeth.

Was this really the same herd? It had doubled in size in the journey from the grocery story to the plaza. Things were not looking good.

She guided them along the wall in an attempt to remain unseen. A few walkers noticed them and tried catching up to them, but they were running now. More began to notice and follow. One slid in front of them and Riko didn't hesitate to stab it in the head. She yanked Olivia forward and continued running, but the herd was closing in on them. Riko let go of her daughter to look around for an escape route. She gasped when she saw that an alleyway was clear of walkers. She went to grab Olivia's hand again. Riko suddenly had a flashback of trying to save her younger sister all those years ago in a similar situation. 'No, not again.'

She grabbed her gun as she hadn't anticipated the herd's speed. She fired her gun once at a walker approaching Olivia from behind. The girl seemed to be in a daze. However she jumped at the sound of the gun and quickly followed her mother. "Should we fire the flare gun?"

"No, not until we get out of here. Don't want anyone running into this herd." Riko dragged her towards the alley. She had to move fast as the herd was cutting off the only means of escape. She fired her gun repeatedly and scowled when she was out of bullets. She'd have to search her bag for more, but she didn't have time for that right now. Besides, they were already at the end of the alley and leaving the herd behind.

As the rounded the corner, they were shocked to find a walker waiting for them. Riko had no time to reload her gun. It was way too close anyway and was about to lunge at them. Riko did the only thing she could think of at the time. She pushed Olivia out of the way and took on the force of the impact on her own. She felt something dig into her shoulder but ignored it in favor of stabbing the monster after falling to the ground.

Olivia stood in shock at what just transpired in front of her and let herself be dragged further away from the herd by her mother. There were only a few walkers in the alley. They could get by without having to take them out at all. Riko urged her daughter along, wanting to get away from there fast as possible.

The duo panted loudly as they slowed down after a few minutes of running. Olivia straightened up, breathing in deeply, wanting to be back in the safety of the walls. She was about to move onward when she realized her mother wasn't following her. She looked back and gasped, quickly moving to her side. "Mom?!"

Riko breathed in coarsely and rested on her hands and knees. Olivia urgently pulled her bag off of her back to find a water bottle. She moved it to her lips but Riko moved away. "I can't…"

Olivia was about to chastise her when she saw blood drip from her neck. She crawled over to the other side of her mother and pushed the edge of her collar. Tears immediately appeared in her eyes and she cried out when she saw the deep bite wound in between her mother's neck and shoulder. "No… No! This can't happen! W-We have to…"

Riko chuckled tiredly and reached into her bag. She handed her daughter the flare gun which she quickly shot into the air. "H-Hopefully Bolin can see it this far out." Riko coughed.

Olivia wiped her tears and threw one arm over her shoulder. "I'll get you home, I promise."

Riko smiled weakly and dragged her feet along in an attempt to continue walking. "It'd be nice to see Karina one last time."

"Don't talk like that, mom." Olivia replied. She glanced over and stared at the deep gouge in the woman's shoulder. She dropped her head, questioning how all of this happened.

* * *

Karina's heart dropped into her stomach so fast it almost made her sick. "What do you mean something happened?"

Asami rubbed her forehead. "I don't know yet. One of the guards came running into town saying that a flare was fired. Korra and a couple of fighters went looking for them."

"Why didn't anyone come get me?! I need to be out there!" Karina yelled.

Asami followed her out of the house. "People were getting antsy. I'm sorry. I came here as soon as I could."

Together they marched to the eastern gate. A small crowd of worried citizens had formed on the street. "Move it!" Karina ordered and pushed through. "Bolin, what's going on?!"

Bolin looked over the inner edge. "I-I don't know. The flare went off and we sent a search team out, but that was some time ago now."

"I see something!" The other guard shouted suddenly.

Bolin jumped back around and held the binoculars to his eyes. "It's them! They got-them." The way Bolin went from upbeat to depressed scared Karina. Bolin slowly pulled the binoculars away from his face and they could see shock form. He took a deep breath and turned to the guard. "Get these gates open! Someone radio Kya!"

The tension and stress forming in the air closed in on Karina. She could tell that she was not going to like what she saw when those gates opened. Asami was standing right next to her when she pulled out a walkie-talkie but it sounded so distant. Her head started spinning and she had to steady herself. Asami quickly grabbed her shoulder and stared with concern on her face.

The gates screeched open and the crowd parted the road for them to enter. Karina started to run over to them but slowly stopped until she fell to her knees. She stared with wide eyes at the condition of her girlfriend. Korra and Olivia were doing a two-man walk to carry Riko inside. Blood covered the left side of Riko's shirt. Her head hung limply as if she was unconscious.

She was suddenly back on her feet and determined to be with her even if it was for the last time. Korra tried to tell her to stay back but Karina didn't care. She carefully lifted up the younger's girl's head. "Riko? Riko, look at me."

Riko's breathing was coarse and it took all of her effort to straighten up in order to meet her girlfriend's eyes. She licked her lips and gulped in an attempt to relieve her dry throat. "Hey…" She whispered out.

Tears blurred Karina's vision and she wrapped her arms around her stomach. Riko sighed and rested her head on her lover's shoulder. "It's okay."

Karina quickly picked her head back up. "No, it's not okay! I should've went with you! Things could've been different!"

Riko chuckled lowly. "Or you could be dead too."

Karina couldn't form a direct reply. Instead she took all of Riko's weight by herself and carried her to the infirmary.

"Heh, it's kinda like that time…when I saved Olivia…" Riko mumbled numbly from below.

Karina smiled sadly and nodded. "When I carried you home?"

Riko smiled and rested her head against her chest. "Yeah…"

Kya ran out of the house to meet up with them. "I got the call! What-" She cut herself off when she saw the bleeding wound in the girl's shoulder. "Oh no. Get her in here!"

Karina swiftly followed her in and gingerly laid her girlfriend onto a cot. Kya quickly cut the soaked shirt off and discarded it onto the floor. She inspected to wound with gloved hands.

Electricity filled Karina's entire being at sight of the bite. "What can we do? Can we amputate?!" Karina asked with her voice laced with fright.

Kya moved away and began pacing. "I can't believe this."

"No Kya! There has to be something!"

"I can't do anything!" Kya took a deep breath in and out. "That is not an area that can be amputated." She gulped. "I-I'm sorry. I'll give you some alone time. It doesn't look like she has long."

Karina gasped for air to calm herself for a minute before returning to her lover. She sat down on the cot next to her and laced their fingers together. Karina didn't know what to say to make things better. For a few minutes Riko coarse breathing was the only thing that could be heard.

Then the door screeched open as Korra barged in. She gasped and quickly slid to her other side. Korra shakily laid her hands on Riko's sweaty cheeks. "It's okay. You're going to be okay." She cried tensely, trying to hide her pain. Olivia ran in behind her and stood tearfully at the end of the bed. Asami followed them and stayed back a little to let the family have their moment. Tears already stained her face as well.

Riko's laugh turned into a cough. "I'm as good as dead." She tried to squeeze Karina's hand but she was weak.

Karina noticed and squeezed her hand tight. "I should've went with you."

"We can't change the past, my love…only learn from it." Riko sputtered.

Karina shook her head as more tears slipped down her face. "How am I supposed to move on from this?! I can't live without you!"

Riko smiled weakly. Blood continued to pour from her wound. Her face was pale. "Yes you can… I need you to…to keep living for me."

"How am I supposed to wake up every morning without you beside me in bed? How am I supposed to raise Olivia by myself? How can you expect me to survive in this world without you keeping me sane?" Karina cried out and carefully placed her hands on her cheeks.

"You're not alone." She whispered with her voice raspy. "Y-You have my family there for you… You're a part of us now." Riko turned her head to the other side to find the jet hair of her mother's lover. Asami went wide-eyed when she saw Riko reach out her other hand to her. She quickly dashed over to stand next to Korra. She grabbed her limp hand when it didn't retract. "My family needs you… Can you promise me to be there for them?" Riko asked.

Asami leaned over and pecked her on the forehead. "You didn't even have to ask. I will always be there."

Riko smiled and nodded her head in appreciation. She glanced up to her mom. "I love you guys… Thanks for taking care of me."

Korra couldn't hold it in anymore and cried into Riko's chest. Riko began spacing out and staring at nothing. "K-Karina?" She asked.

Karina rubbed her cheek. "I'm right here, baby."

"It's so dark…"

Karina hung her head. "It's okay, baby. You're safe now. Just relax."

"Yeah, it's going to be okay. It's not that painful." A voice said. Riko looked over and saw her sister standing in the background.

Riko smiled and chuckled. "I should've been able to protect you."

"You did protect me. You saved my life so many times and enriched my life so much and you were just a teenager at that time. You've done so much to help people, sis."

"Too bad she's still too soft. No wonder she's in this situation." A darker voice commented.

Riko's breathing was slowing down. "Maybe being soft is a good thing. Too many people harden themselves in this world." She replied.

Zaheer sneered and walked up to her. "Toughening yourself is the only sure way to save yourself."

"Then I wouldn't have saved Olivia that day. And she made our lives worth something. I wouldn't change what I did even now." Riko replied hoarsely.

Her family watched as it appeared like Riko was talking to herself. She was brought back to the present when Karina slipped a kiss onto her forehead. "Don't let me turn." She whimpered.

Karina sniffed and rubbed her own tears away. "I had no intention of letting that happen."

Riko sighed as her inhaling was becoming sparse. "Thank you…"

Karina hiccupped and abruptly pressed her lips into her lover's. Riko returned the kiss with all of the strength she had left. After a few minutes she pulled back and went limp.

Karina's eyes widened with realization. "No… No! You can't do this do me! I need you!"

Riko was unresponsive. Karina lowered her head and she finally released her pent up sobs. Korra stood up finally. "Asami, can you take Olivia outside?"

The older woman nodded and gently ushered the young girl away. Korra pulled on the curtain that separated patients. She held the gun by the barrel and looked to the younger woman. "Karina?"

She looked up with tears in her eyes but understood when she saw the gun in Korra's hand. She nodded and carefully took the gun from her.

Olivia cried into Asami's chest. The older woman cried quietly as she did her best to comfort her. A loud gunshot startled them and Olivia sobbed harder. After a minute Karina finally exited the building with some blood splattered on her right arm. She didn't even spare a glance at the others as she marched home.


	26. Chapter 25 Photographs

Rapid tapping of a pencil disrupted the silence of the office. Papers were shifted across the table as blueprints and details were examined back and forth. Red lips scowled as their owner scribbled out her ideas. The leather seat groaned as she laid back to take a break. Her lunch laid forgotten at the edge of the desk. Papers were sprawled all over the place. The trash bin was full of crumpled up plans.

Asami rested a hand over her eyes with a sigh. She had been working constantly in her office for hours now. She knew what she wanted to plan out but there was a disconnect between her brain and her hands. It seemed no matter what she drew, it just wasn't right. She needed a few minutes to rest. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night due to Korra being called out right before bed. Asami knew she could take care of herself but it didn't stop her from worrying. She had been dozing in and out for a while when she felt Korra's arm wrap around her as she returned to their bed.

Asami removed her hand from her face and looked down at her desk. Some picture frames lined the front edge of the desk. A smile made its way onto her face as she eyed each one.

The first was of Korra napping under a tree after training. Asami had slid in beside her and rested the Avatar's head in her lap while she rested.

The next was several years later at Riko's 17th birthday party, when she was recovering after their gang incident. Korra and Asami had both leaned down at the same time to kiss her cheeks as Tonraq snapped a photo.

At the center of her desk, next to her nameplate, was one of their wedding photos. The newly-wedded couple stood holding hands on the beachy shores of Air Temple Island. Asami leaned over right as the photo was taken to kiss Korra on the cheek, making the younger woman blush right at that exact moment. Young Riko hid behind them, peaking out mischievously from behind Korra's legs. Naga bounced up from the other side, pouncing on them right after the photo was taken, resulting in them falling to the ground with laughter.

Next was a trio of smaller photos all in a single frame together. At the top was Riko after her graduation ceremony from the police academy. Karina pounced on her after she stepped down from the stage and Lin was shaking her head good-naturedly in the background. In the middle was Kohaku fighting in the probending arena, spouting fire from his palms. And lastly was Nami tinkering with a car in their garage.

At the very other end of her desk sat one last frame. It was a huge "family" photo that was taken on Air Temple Island several years ago when everyone was still young. Tenzin and Pema stood together while their airbending children were running amok. Bolin and Opal were holding hands and she was leaning her head on Bolin's shoulder. Lin was close by holding Riko in a headlock and ruffling her hair. Nami sat on Korra's shoulders while Asami leaned into her wife. Kohaku was jumping up and down in order to be seen over the taller adults. Tonraq had a proud hand on Korra's shoulder while Senna looked around in worry over the running children. Mako stood stiffly near the edge of the picture.

In the corner of the frame was a smaller wallet-sized photo of Asami's old family portrait with her parents. It was torn and ragged around the edges.

Tears started to well up in her eyes. She rested her arms on the table and leaned her chin into her palm. A faint smile started to reappear on her face. Even though she didn't have any biological family left, her new family continued to grow. She couldn't be any happier with her life. Her family was her ultimate pride and joy.

The window abruptly clicked and opened. A small gust of wind blew into the office. Asami's smile grew as she felt arms lay over her shoulders. "Hi 'Sami."

Asami leaned back into her lover's frame. "Hi Korra. What do I owe this visit to?"

Korra rose a brow and leaned down in front of her wife with worry. "Were you crying?"

The CEO sniffled and wipe away a tear. "Just thinking about our family."

Korra began to smile again and looked to the desk. "You mean the photos on your desk?" Asami nodded. "Well I think I have something to make your day better." Korra responded and she stood up once more.

Asami rose a brow and leaned forward while Korra pulled her wallet out. A whole roll of small photos folded out in a domino effect. Asami chuckled at Korra's apparent love for their family. She thought her desk photos were much, but Korra took it to a whole different level. Each photo was a special memory. Korra picked up the end of the roll and brought it closer to Asami. The CEO furrowed her brow in confusion. It was a newspaper clipping folded up in order to fit the pocket. "Is that…?"

Korra smiled wider. "Riko on one knee proposing to Karina? Yes."

Asami gasped and jumped out of her seat. "What?! When did this happen?! She never even told us!"

"I don't know! I just saw this in the paper and raced right over! Let's go find out!" Korra answered. Asami was holding tugging her out of the office, though.

* * *

 **A/N: Just a little something I wrote real quick in between work. I always had the idea to portray one of them as Maes Hughes in the way that he shows off his family. And if you know who that is then you know why I portrayed Korra as him. Personally Maes Hughes is one of my favorite characters but I think all of the characters of FMA are great. And in searching for a picture of him, I realized that Markiplier is the real life version of Hughes. I'm gonna stop rambling on now because I haven't done any actual school work all week but I've just been sleeping off all of my spring break...**


	27. Chapter 26 Movie Night

Bolin and Opal sat bunched up together on the couch. Opal sat in his lap while he held the draped blanket closer to them. Their wide eyes stared in shock at the television screen. Below them on the rug laid Korra and Asami on a bunch of pillows and blankets. This whole thing was Asami's idea, but she was starting to regret the movie choice. A blood-curdling scream erupted from the television, making three of the four of them jump in surprise. Asami shivered and tugged the blanket tighter to her. Opal hid her face in Bolin's neck. Picking a scary movie might not have been the smartest move.

Korra was resting her head on her forearms. She hadn't really been paying attention to the movie all too much. The occasional scream caught her attention, but other than that she was lost in her own thoughts. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the movie. Well, maybe 'enjoy' wasn't the right word, but they were partaking in watching it.

Asami gasped and hid her face as the next scene started. She only looked up again when it got quiet. She looked over to Korra and was surprised to see that she wasn't even watching the movie. She was laying on her arms and appeared deep in thought as she stared into the floor. Asami's brow furrowed in confusion. Did Korra not like the movie? The CEO decided to ignore the movie for a few minutes in order to watch over her girlfriend.

Korra didn't notice that her partner had stopped watching the television. Too many painful memories were replaying in her head. She didn't want the others to know about her discomfort so she opted to stay put. Her fists unconsciously tightened and she turned her head away from the screen to rest her eyes.

Suddenly her arm was yanked away from her with an exaggerated gasp. She choked on the air and glanced over her shoulder. Asami was huddled close to her with her left arm in a vice grip as she watched the film with fear. Korra sighed and rested her head on top of Asami's and grasped her hand. Asami nuzzled closer in the lure of protection.

Asami smiled with a sigh of relief as she pressed closer to her lover. She could tell Korra was reminiscing something, but at least she could pull her out of it for now. She just hoped that her façade wasn't obvious to Korra.

* * *

Asami blinked her eyes open and drowsily glanced around. She was laying on her back with Korra draped over her. Her hair was tousled and a faint snore emitted from her chest. Asami smiled lovingly. She carefully wriggled herself out of the Avatar's embrace and ventured into the kitchen. She passed Opal and Bolin who were both passed out on the couch. Bolin was snoring loudly. The CEO giggled and continued to the kitchen to make breakfast. Soon the smell of cooked eggs and bacon aroused Korra and Bolin awake, thus forcing Opal awake as well. Bolin gasped happily and rushed to the table. The others laughed and eventually joined him once all the food was finished.

Eventually their friends left and they had the house to themselves to relax in on a lazy Sunday. Asami went to tinker with her cars in the garage and Korra wandered off with Naga. When Asami finished up in the garage she went looking for Korra. She wasn't all too surprised when she found her sunbathing in the backyard with Naga. Sunbathing was something Korra had figured out would help her when she was feeling depressed.

Asami carefully walked up to her and sat down next to her. "Wanna talk about it?"

Korra sighed roughly and slid her hand into Asami's. "Not really."

Asami turned her body slightly to look closer at her. "Really? Because your body language says otherwise."

Korra huffed and rested her cheek on Asami's shoulder. "It's just another day. I'll make it."

Asami smiled in sad understanding and tightened her grip on her hand. "You will make it Korra. I'm here for you whether you want to talk or not."

* * *

"Gah!"

Korra yelled angrily as she slammed the punching bag. Her teeth grit together and her body was tense. Her mind was foggy for all except one thing. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to block it out. She gasped for air as she rested her hands on her knees.

"Are you okay?"

Korra whipped around. Asami stood at the entrance of their home gym with a tray of lunch. Her face showed nothing but worry. Korra huffed and began her work out once more. Asami knew she hated that question, so why did she ask it?

"I'm fine. Working through it." Korra replied shortly.

Asami scowled and sat the tray down on the bench. "Korra, you've been working through this block for a week. I think you need some intervention."

"How? No one in the whole world truly understands what it was like for years, what it's still like for me. How is that going to help?"

"You can start by talking to me! You know I always listen to you and I try to help the best that I can. Why is it suddenly different now?"

The Avatar stopped exercising again. She gasped for air, her back turned to the other woman. "I don't know…"

At first this response frustrated Asami. Then worry returned even stronger. Asami took a few steps closer until she could lay a hand on the Avatar's shaking shoulder. "What do you mean?"

Korra took a moment to try to gather her thoughts. "I just…haven't been myself lately and I don't understand. Everything was going so well for a while."

Asami stepped in front of Korra. "You're going to have breakthroughs, hun. It's bound to happen sometimes. You can't expect to just forget about it…" This didn't seem to lift Korra's spirits. "But you've learned from it, and you're a better person now because of it." Asami leaned down to kiss her forehead. "And I still love you all the same."

Korra looked up at her and her wide, bright eyes reminded Asami of a child who just needed some reassurance. Korra seemed to be contemplating something as she grabbed the other's hand tightly.

"Need a hug?" Asami asked. Korra nodded and jumped to wrap her arms around her. Both sighed in relief and held each other tight.

* * *

Asami finished towel-drying her hair and nudged the bathroom door open with her foot. A warm smile came upon her face when she saw her girlfriend in bed. Korra was laying on her stomach and resting her head on her arms facing the bathroom. She must've tried to stay awake for her. Asami shook her head and carefully sat on the bed next to her. She pushed back a strand of Korra's hair away from her face, resting her hand on her cheek.

Korra mumbled and tiredly grabbed her hand. "C'mere."

Asami chuckled and finally laid in the bed and pulled the covers over her. She propped herself up on one arm and laid the other on Korra's back. She gently pushed her shirt up to rub her back. She ran her fingers over old scars that had become permanent with time. Korra was a warrior, a survivor. Some days may be rough for her, but she'd always have someone to help her. Even without her past lives, she would never be alone again, not as long as Asami was around.

Korra shivered as a pale hand skimmed over her skin. "Even after a hot shower you're still cold."

Asami smiled and allowed Korra to crawl into her embrace. "I thought you liked it when I was cold."

Korra scoffed sleepily. "That's because it's so hot."

"You are hot." Asami replied smartly.

Korra smiled faintly and tucked her head underneath Asami's neck. The older woman's heartbeat slowly lulled the Avatar to sleep. With the knowledge that Asami would still be there for her, she slept peacefully once again.


End file.
